Torn Between Right and Wrong?
by krm0205
Summary: This is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling from Hermione's perspective...with a bit of a twist involving a certain blonde. All conversations in the book that Hermione's present for are included for more realism. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1: The Prophecy

1. The Prophecy

"Ron, don't hit him!" demanded the dark-haired girl. She glanced at the boy searching for his glasses as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She frowned as Ron asked Harry if he was all right but continued to look at her dark-haired friend. Surely he was not alright.

"Never been better," he replies. "You?"

"Not bad," said Ron as he sot on a cardboard box. "When did you get here? Mum's only just told us!"

"About one o'clock this morning."

"Where the muggles all tight? Did they treat you OK?"

"Same as usual," said Harry. He glanced at Hermione who was still staring at him. "They didn't talk to me much, but I like it better that way. How're you, Hermione?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she whispered. She looked at Harry, trying to see what he was thinking. She exhaled impatiently when he avoided her gaze and asked for the time.

"What's the time? Have I missed breakfast?"

Ron laughed.

"Don't worry about that, Mums bringing you up a tray; she reckons you look underfed," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "So what's been going on?"

Hermione looked at Ron and then back at Harry.

"Nothing much, I've just been stuck at my aunt and uncle's haven't I?"

"Come off it!" yelled Ron. "You've been off with Dumbledore!"

_Shut up Ron!_ thought Hermione. She tried to catch Ron's eye, but as usually he continued on quite oblivious to her attempts.

"It wasn't that exciting he just wanted me to help him persuade this old teacher to come our of retirement. His name's Horace Slughorn."

Ron who had been looking at Harry with excitement now looked deflated.

"Oh. We thought-" He hesitated as he finally saw Hermione's glare. "We thought it would be something like that." Hermione sighed with frustration at Ron's lame cover-up.

_What a git!_

"You did?" said Harry with an amused look.

"Yeah…yeah, now Umbridge has left, obviously we need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, don't we? So, er, what's he like?"

"He looks a bit like a walrus and he used to be Head of Slytherin." Harry looked back at Hermione. "Something wrong, Hermione?"

Hermione plastered a smile on her face.

"No, of course not!" she replied hastily. "So, um, did Slughorn seem like he'll be a good teacher?"

"Dunno," said Harry. "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"

"I know someone who's worse than Umbridge," said a voice from the doorway. Hermione smirked as Harry unconsciously pulled his blanket up higher at the sight of Ron's younger sister. "Hi, Harry."

"What's up with you?" Ron asked as Ginny jumped onto Harry's bed.

"It's her. She's driving me mad."

Hermione concerned glance left Harry's face and settled on Ginny's.

"What's she done now?"

"It's the way she talks to me – you'd think I was about three!"

"I know," agreed Hermione. "She's so full of herself."

"Can't you two just lay off her for five seconds?" yelled Ron.

"Oh, that's right, defend her," retorted Ginny. "We all know you can't get enough of her."

"Who are you-?" started Harry. The door was flung open and Hermione shrieked as Harry yanked his blanket higher. She and Ginny were knocked to the floor as the tall blonde walked into the room carrying a tray laden with food.

" 'Arry," she cried. "Eet 'as been too long!"

Mrs. Weasley entered the room shortly after her with a slight frown on her face. Hermione pulled herself up, using the edge of Harry's bed for support.

"There was no need to bring up the tray, I was just about to do it myself!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"Eet was no trouble," said Fleur Delacour as she placed the tray over Harry's knees and kissed his cheek. Both Hermione and Ginny scowled as Harry touched his cheek where the woman's lips had touched. "I 'ave been longing to see 'im. You remember my seester, Gabrielle? She never stops talking about "Arry Potter." She will be delighted to see you again."

"Oh…is she here too?" Harry asked in a dry voice. Fleur laughed.

"No, no, silly boy. I mean next summer, when we – but do you not know?" cried Fleur as she looked at Mrs. Weasley with a reproachful expression.

"We haven't got around to telling him yet?"

Hermione looked at Ginny who rolled her eyes.

"Bill and I are to be married!"

"Oh," said Harry. "Wow. Er – congratulations!"

Ginny gagged as Fleur kissed Harry again and Hermione stuffed her hand in her mouth to stop from laughing.

"Bill is very busy at ze moment, working very 'ard, and I only work part-time at Gringotts for my Eenglish, so he brought me 'ere for a few days to get to know 'is family properly. I was so pleased to 'ear that you would be coming – zere isn't much to do 'ere, unless you like cooking and chickens! Well – enjoy your breakfast, 'Arry!" Fleur left the room and closed the door behind her.

There was a moment of silence that was broken by Mrs. Weasley making a disgusted noise.

"Mum hates her," whispered Ginny to Harry.

"I do not hate her!" whispered Mrs. Weasley furiously. "I just think they've hurried into this engagement, that's all!"

"They've known each other for a year," pointed out Ron.

"Well, that's not very long! I know why it's happened, of course. It's all this uncertainty with You-Know-Who coming back, people think they might be dead tomorrow, so they're rushing all sorts of decisions they'd normally take time over. It was the same last time he was powerful, people eloping left right and centre-"

"Including you and Dad," said Ginny.

"Yes, well, your father and I were made for each other, what was the point of waiting?" replied Mrs. Weasley. "Whereas Bill and Fleur…well…what have they really got in common? He's a hard-working, down-to-earth sort of person, whereas she's-"

"A cow," finished Ginny. "But Bill's not that down-to-earth. He's a curse-breaker isn't he, he likes a bit of adventure, a bit of glamour…I expect that's why he's gone for Phlegm."

Hermione and Harry laughed.

"Stop calling her that, Ginny," scolded Mrs. Weasley. "Well, I'd better get on…eat your eggs while they're warm, Harry."

Hermione sighed and leaned her head against the wall; she glanced at Harry's face again. He had dark circles under his eyes; surely he wasn't getting enough sleep after Surious' death.

"Don't you get used to her if she's staying in the same house?" Harry asked Ron who had a slightly dazed look.

"Well, you do, but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then…" Ron swallowed.

Hermione launched herself off the bed towards the other wall by the door.

"It's pathetic," she said, folding her arms.

"You don't really want her around forever?" Ginny asked Ron skeptically. Ron shrugged. "Well, Mum's going to put a stop to it if she can, I bet you anything."

"How's she going to do that?" asked Harry.

"She keeps trying to get Tonks round for dinner. I think she's hoping Bill will fall for Tonks instead. I hope he does, I'd much rather have her in the family."

"Yeah, that'll work," said Ron, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Listen, no bloke in his right mind's going to fancy Tonks when Fleur's around. I mean, Tonks is OK-looking when she isn't doing stupid things to her hair and her nose, but-"

"She's a damn sight nicer than Phlegn," argued Ginny.

"And she's more intelligent, she's an Auror," added Hermione.

"Fleur's not stupid, she was good enough to enter the Triwizard Tournament," said Harry.

Hermione looked at Harry with disgust.

"Not you as well!"

"I suppose you like the way Phlegm says " 'Arry," do you?" taunted Ginny.

"No, I was just saying Phlegm – I mean, Fleur-"

"I'd much rather have Tonks in the family. At least she's a laugh," interrupted Ginny.

"She hasn't been much of a laugh lately," said Ron. "Every time I've seen her she's looked more like Moaning Myrtle."

"That's not fair," cried Hermione. "She still hasn't gotten over what happened…you know…" Hermione looked away from Harry as he clenched his jaw. _Oops!_ " I mean, he was her cousin!" She finished lamely.

"Tonks and Sirius barely knew each other. Sirius was in Azkaban half her life and before that their family never met-" said Ron.

"That's not the point. She thinks it was her fault he died!" yelled Hermione.

"How does she work that one out?" asked Harry. He had stopped shoveling eggs into his mouth and was staring at her.

"Well, she was fighting Bellatrix Lestrange, wasn't she? I think she feels that if only she had finished her off, Bellatrix couldn't have killed Surius," she answered somewhat defiantly.

"That's stupid," said Ron.

"It's survivors guilt. I know Lupin's tried to talk her around, but she's really down. She's actually having trouble with her Metamorphosing."

"With what-?" asked Ron.

"She can't change her appearance like she used to," explained Hermione. "I think her powers must have been affected by the shock or something."

"I didn't know that could happen," said Harry.

"Nor did I, but I suppose if your really depressed."

The door opened and Mrs. Weasley peered in.

"Ginny, come downstairs and help me with lunch."

"I'm talking to this lot!" yelled Ginny.

"Now!" Mrs. Weasley left the door open.

"She only wants me there so she doesn't have to be alone with Phlegm." Ginny got off Harry's bed and swung her long red hair in an imitation of Fleur and left the room; prancing like a ballerina. "You lot better come down quickly too."

Hermione looked around Fred and George's room, her eyes settling on the stacks of boxes.

"What's this?" she asked, picking up an object that looked like a telescope.

"Dunno, but if Fred and George left it here, it's probably not ready for the joke shop yet, so be careful."

"Your mum said the shops, going well, said Fred and George have got a real flair for business," said Harry.

"That's and understatement," snorted Ron. "They're raking in the Galleons! I can't wait to see the place. We haven't been to Diagon Alley yet, because Mum says Dad's got to be there for extra security and he's been really busy at work, but it sounds excellent."

"And what about Percy? Is he talking to your mum and dad yet?"

"Nope."

"But he knows your dad was right all along now about Voldemort being back-"

"Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right," said Hermione. "I heard him telling your mum, Ron."

"Sounds like the sort of mental thing Dumbledore would say."

"He's going to give me private lessons this year," said Harry.

A gasp slipped out of Hermione's lips.

"You kept that quiet," yelled Ron.

"I only just remembered. He told me last night in your broom shed."

"Blimey…private lessons with Dumbledore! I wonder why he's…" Ron glanced at Hermione.

_Must be about the prophecy_, Hermione thought.

"I don't know exactly why he's going to be giving me lessons, but I think it must be because of the prophecy."

Hermione froze.

"You know, the one they were trying to steal at the Ministry," continued Harry.

"Nobody knows what it said, though. It got smashed," said Hermione quietly.

"Although the _Prophet_ says-" began Ron but Hermione shushed him.

"The_ Prophet_'s got it tight," whispered Harry. "That glass ball that smashed wasn't the only record of the prophecy. I heard the whole thing in Dumbledore's office, he was the one the prophecy was made to, so he could tell me. From what it said, it looks like I'm the one who's got to finish off Voldemort…least it said neither of us could live while the other survives."

Hermione held her breath. She couldn't believe that her suspicions had just been confirmed. She was used to this feeling of being right but she could not believe, didn't want to believe that she was right this time. She began to nervously twist her fingers together, squeezing the telescope-like object.

There was a loud bang as a small fist erupted out of the telescope and hit her in the face. A thick cloud of black smoke obscured Hermione's view of the two boys.

"Hermione!" she heard them yell closely followed by the clang of the breakfast tray hitting that floor.

Hermione coughed as she struggled to stand.

"I squeezed it and it – it hit me!" she gasped. She touched her left eye hesitantly, wincing as her fingers brushed the swollen skin.

"Don't worry," Ron sputtered. "Mum'll fix that, she's good at healing minor injuries."

"Oh, well, never mind that now!" Hermione said hastily, sitting down on Harry's bed again. "We wondered, after we got back from the Ministry…obviously we didn't want to say anything to you, but from what Lucius Malfoy said about the prophecy, how it was about you and Voldemort, well, we thought it might be something like this…oh, Harry…" Hermione stared at him. "Are you scared?" she whispered.

"Not as much as I was," he replied. "When I first heard it, I was…but now, it seems as though I always knew I'd have to face him in the end..."

"When we heard Dumbledore was collecting you in person, we thought he might be telling you something, or showing you something to do with the prophecy," Ron added excitedly. "And we were kind of right, weren't we? He wouldn't be giving you lessons if he thought you were a goner, wouldn't waste his time – he must think you've got a chance!"

"That's true," agreed Hermione. "I wonder what he'll tech you, Harry? Really advanced defensive magic, probably…" Hermione said, drifting off in thought. "…powerful counter-curses…anti-jinxes…and evasive enchantments generally."

The thoughtful look in her eyes disappeared. "Well, at least you know one lesson you'll be having this year, that's one more than Ron and me. I wonder when our O.W.L. results will come?"

"Can't be long now, it's been a month," said Ron.

"Hang on," said Harry. "I think Dumbledore said our O.W.L. results would be arriving today!"

Hermione shrieked.

"Today? _Today?_ But why didn't you – oh m God – you should have said-" She jumped off the bed and dashed towards the door. "I'm going to see whether any owls have come."

Hermione ran out of the room and continued to hurry down the narrow stairs. She nearly collided with Ginny who was on her way up in her haste.

"Hermione? What's going on?"

"Harry – O.W.L.'s," She tried to explain as she continued to run down the stairs. When she burst into the kitchen Mrs. Weasley was buttering bread while Fleur set the table. "Mrs. Weasley," she said breathlessly. "Have any owls come?"

"No, I'm afraid the post isn't in yet, Merlin what happened to your eye?"

"Oh, just some joke of Fred and George," said Hermione as she anxiously peered out the window, scanning the sky for any sight of a bird.

"Well let me have a look at it." Mrs. Weasley gestured her to sit at the table while she looked for her wand.

"Reverum selectico," she chanted pointing her wand at Hermione's eye; after a few moments she frowned. "Strange."

Mrs. Weasley repeated the spell to no avail.

"It just won't budge. This has always worked before, I just can't understand it."

It'll be Fred and George's idea of a funny joke, making sure it can's come off," offered Ginny as Harry and Ron emerged from the hall.

"But it's got to come off. I can't go around looking like this forever!"

"You won't, dear, we'll find an antidote, don't worry, soothed Mrs. Weasley.

"Bill told me 'ow Fred and George are very amusing," smiled Fleur, setting down the last plate.

"Yes, I can hardly breathe for laughing," retorted Hermione frostily. She stood up and began to pace, twisting her fingers again. "Mrs. Weasley, your quite, quite sure no owls have arrived this morning?"

"Yes, dear, I'd have noticed. But it's barely nine, there's still plenty of time."

Hermione continued to pace, muttering to herself.

"Hermione, will you shut up, you're not the only one who's nervous," growled Ron. "And when you-" But Hermione barely heard him.

"Don't, don't, don't! I know I've failed everything!"

"What happens if we fail?" asked Harry.

"We discuss our options with our Head of House, I asked Professor McGonagall at the end of last term." _I've failed! There was that one Runes translation that was wrong and Defense Against the Dark Arts was hopeless, _Hermione cried mentally. She looked out the window and her knees nearly gave out. Flying towards the house were three distinct owls. She screamed and pointed towards them. "One for each of us. Oh no…oh no... oh no…" Hermione grabbed Harry and Ron's arms. "Oh _no_!"

The three owls flew through the window and landed on the table. The one on the right had a letter addressed to Hermione tied to its leg. She lurched forward and tried to untie it with shaky hands. She opened the letter and read her results.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding (O) Fail Grades: Poor (P)_

_Exceeds Expectations (E) Dreadful (D)_

_Acceptable (A) Troll (T)_

_Hermione Jean Granger_

_Astronomy O_

_Care of Magical Creatures O_

_Charms O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts E_

_Arithmacy O_

_Herbology O_

_History of Magic O_

_Potions O_

_Transfiguration O_

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, ten Outstandings and one Exceeds Expectations. She could live with that. She glanced up at Ron and Harry, smiling brightly.


	2. Chapter 2: A Strange Encounter

2. A Strange Encounter

Hermione opened her eyes sleepily, slowly focusing on the white ceiling above her. She stretched her aching back and stretched her toes at the foot of the bed. She glanced around the room, her eyes falling on the girl standing in front of the mirror.

"Good morning," she whispered. Ginny turned towards her.

"Morning 'Mione," said Ginny brightly. "You better get up, today's the day!" Hermione groaned, burrowing further under the covers.

"Hermione! Get up, we have to go to Diagon Alley. Don't you want to get your new books?" teased Ginny as Hermione's head emerged.

"I suppose that would be worth getting out of this warm bed."

Ginny smirked, "In your opinion, personally I'd rather go to Quality Quidditch Supplies."

"Yes well that's all that fills your head, quidditch and boys."

Ginny gasped indignantly, turning to face Hermione. "Well at least there's a bit of variety darling," she smirked.

"You're rotten," Hermione watched as the redhead ducked quickly to avoid the pillow she had thrown.

"And you're sour," laughed Ginny, setting down the brush and walking out the door. Hermione laughed softly to herself, she crawled out of bed and examined herself in the mirror Ginny had just left vacant.

Her hazel eyes gazed back at her and despite having just woken were bright and alert; a main of brown bushy hair that cascaded down her back in twisted curls surrounded her face. She sighed.

_Well it's not half bad,_ she thought, brushing a tendril of hair out of her eyes. Shrugging in a slightly oversized plaid shirt over her tank top and sweatpants Hermione skipped down the stairs and sat down at the table.

"Morning 'Mione," said Harry and Ron, each through a mouthful of breakfast.

"Morning," agreed Hermione as she reached across Ginny's plate to grab some toast.

"How was your sleep, dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley as she poured her some pumpkin juice.

"Fine, thank you."

"Your Hogwarts letters have come in, oh and Harry's made Quidditch Captain!" beamed Mrs. Weasley, ruffling Harry's hair.

"That gives you equal status with prefects!" exclaimed Hermione. "You can use our special bathroom now, and everything!"

"I remember when Charlie wore one of these," said Ron, holding the badge. "Harry, this is so cool, you're my captain – if you let me back on the team, I suppose, ha ha…"

"Well, I don't suppose we can put off the trip to Diagon Alley much longer now you've got these," sighed Mrs. Weasley as she passed Hermione her letter. She glanced down at Ron's list. "We'll go Saturday as long as your father doesn't have to go into work again. I'm not going there without him."

"But – " said Ginny.

"Mum, d'you honestly thin You-Know-Who's going to be hiding behind a bookshelf in Flourish and Blotts?" asked Ron, interrupting Ginny.

"Fortescue and Ollivander went on holiday, did they? Yelled Mrs. Weasley, flaring up suddenly. "If you think security's a laughing matter you can stay behind and I'll get your things myself – "

"No, I wanna come, I won't to see Fred and George's shop!" pleaded Ron.

"Then you just buck up your ideas, young man, before I decide you're too immature to come with us!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, she grabbed her clock, glancing at the hands that were still pointing at 'mortal peril.' "And that goes for returning to Hogwarts, as well!" She added as she stormed out of the room.

"Blimey…you can't even make a joke 'round her any more…" muttered Ron. "What?" he cried as Hermione swatted him with a rolled up copy of the _Prophet_.

"If you hadn't said anything, Ron!" hissed Ginny. "She might've let us go today."

"You heard her, not till Dad's off work," scoffed Ron. He reached for the plate of eggs, and secured himself at least two helpings.

"That's disgusting," said Hermione as she watched Ron grab four more slices of bacon. Harry inched away from them towards Ginny's end of the table who smirked at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed, with food still in his mouth. Hermione scowled and continued to lather jam on her bread. Ron stared at her but she decided to ignore him, her eyes flickered to Harry and Ginny who were trying desperately to appear indifferent as they finished eating their breakfast.

"Sometimes you are so dense, Ronald," she finally said. She grabbed her copy of _Hogwarts: A History _and stalked out of the room.

...........................................

They spent the day playing Quidditch in the field just a short walk away from the Burrow, Harry and Ginny as Chasers and Ron and Bill as Keepers. They had tried to convince Hermione into refereeing but she had ended up reading a book in the shade of a tree. She looked up as Ron landed beside her.

"Would you just ref, Herms?" he asked.

"No, Ronald. I'd rather read then watch you try to stay on a stick." She mentally applauded herself as Ron's face turned red. "Why don't you ask Phlegm, Ronald," smiling sweetly at him.

Ron scowled and walked away quickly joining the others. She sighed to herself, she didn't know why she acted so with Ron, it just seemed that lately he had been pushing her buttons more than usual. She could find something offensive in practically everything he said.

_And Harry, oh Harry!_ She couldn't believe that Dumbledore had told him he was the Chosen One. Did he honestly think Harry could cope with this? Deep down Hermione knew he could but was it really necessary to put him through this?

_Hasn't he been through enough?_ Her eyes stared at the book in her hands but didn't see the words on the page. Hermione frowned. It would be up to her and Ron to help Harry, and that would require her not hexing Ron. Hermione looked up at the four Quidditch players flying around in the air between the makeshift goals. A small smile played on her lips as she watched Ginny blushed when Harry looked away from the redhead. He'd had the Quaffle and Ginny had gotten it from him. Hermione's smile grew wider; Ginny had never gotten over her crush on Harry like he thought. No, she was still quite infatuated with him.

Now, instead of stuttering in his presence, Ginny followed a new strategy; she had listened to Hermione's advice and tried to act normally around him. Hermione had suggested that she show Harry what she was really like instead of acting like a frightened mouse every time he entered the room.

_Plus, it also gives Ginny the opportunity to show off and occasionally beat him at Quidditch,_ thought Hermione ruefully.

"'Mione!" yelled Harry. "We're going in!"

Hermione waved back and gathered up her things as she heard a soft thump beside her. She looked up to see Ginny with her _Cleansweep _in hand.

"Did you see me get the Quaffle from Harry?" she beamed. Hermione smiled back at her.

"Yes I did, Ginny."

"And the time I nearly knocked Ron off his broom?"

"No, I didn't see that! But I wish I had!" laughed Hermione. She stood up and walked back to the Burrow with Ginny, both laughing the whole way.

..............................

When Saturday arrived everyone was thrilled that Mr. Weasley had gotten the day off, and to further their pleasure came Bill's announcement that he would be remaining behind at the Burrow with Fleur. Bill also passed a money-bag to Harry.

"Where's mine?" demanded Ron.

"That's already Harry's, idiot," replied Bill. "I got it out for you, Harry, because it's taking about five hours for the public to get their gold at the moment, the goblins have tightened security so much. Two days ago Arkie Philpet had a Probility Probe stuck up his…well, trust me, this ways easier."

"Thanks, Bill," said Harry with a grimace.

"'E is always so thoughtful," said Fleur.

Hermione clamped a hand over her mouth to stop from spraying the table with orange juice as Ginny gagged into her cereal. But thankfully, both Fleur and Bill's backs were turned to the two of them.

After they had all eaten, they filed out of the kitchen to be met by one of the Ministry cars parked in front of the house. Hermione shrugged on her cloak as Harry and Ron opened of the back doors and slid in followed by Ginny and Hermione last.

"It's good that Dad can get these again," said Ron.

"Don't get used to it, it's only because of Harry," said Mr. Weasley, turning back to look at the four sitting in the backseat. "He's been given top grade security status. And we'll be joining up with additional security at the Leaky Cauldron, too."

Hermione bit her lip as she saw Harry's jaw tighten. She moved her hand an inch towards him but stopped, it would not be a subtle comfort with the two people between them. She moved her arm back to her side and glanced at him instead, freezing when her eyes saw his gaze fixated on her arm that had a moment ago been stretched toward him.

She watched his cheeks redden slightly as his eyes flickered to Ron, who was rubbing his wand in effort to remove the smudges. Hermione looked out her window.

_How dare he look at Ron guiltily! He had no right, and neither did Ron have a claim on her. It wasn't like she liked Harry, but what if she did? What gave Ron some masculine claim on her? Was there some agreement between the two?_

Hermione exhaled angrily and shook her head at Ginny's questioning glance. She looked out the window and saw the pub coming before the Ministry agent announced their arrival.

"I'm to wait for you, any idea how long you'll be?"

"A couple of hours, I expect," answered Mr. Weasley. "Oh, good, he's here!"

Hermione smiled when she saw Hagrid, the Hogwarts Gamekeeper standing outside the car. She opened the door and launched herself at him, enveloping as much of the half-giant as she could in a hug.

"My, Hermione it's been ages," he laughed. "It's gud ter see ya."

The six wizards and Hagrid entered Diagon Alley and separated into two groups, Ginny with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the rest with Hagrid. Hagrid stood outside as Harry, Ron, and Hermione went into Madam Malkin's for new robes.

Harry and Ron went to the racks of wizard dress robes leaving Hermione to make her way towards the witch's. However a deep voice stopped her, she turned towards it and saw Draco Malfoy being fitted for a pair of green dress robes by Madam Malkin. Her hazel eyes met his ice blue ones. It was a moment before he sneered and spoke to the blonde witch at his right.

"If you're wondering what the smell is, Mother, a Mudblood just walked in.""I don't think there's any need for language like that!" cried Madam Malkin, she glanced behind Hermione at Harry and Ron who had joined her with their wands raised. "And I don't want wands drawn in my shop, either!" But Harry and Ron only pushed passed Hermione.

"No, don't, honestly it's not worth it…"she whispered fiercely.

"Yeah, like you'd dare do magic out of school." Malfoy's eyes flickered back to Hermione's face. "Who blackened your eye, Granger? I want to send them flowers."

"That's quite enough! Madam –please – " asked Madam Malkin, looking to Mrs. Malfoy for help.

Narcissa Malfoy looked at Harry with cold eyes.

"Put that away, if you attack my son again, I shall ensure that it is the last thing you ever do."

"Really? Going to get a few Death Eater pals to do us in, are you?"

Madam Malkin gasped and spoke but everyone ignored her.

"I see that being Dumbledore's favourite has given you a false sense of security, Harry Potter. But Dumbledore won't always be there to protect you." Hermione looked at Malfoy as his jaw tightened slightly. She frowned.

Harry looked around the shop, "Wow…look at that…he's not here now! So why not have a go? They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser of a husband!" mocked Harry. Hermione held her breath. Malfoy who had been looking at the ground, jerked his head up to glare at Harry.

"Don't you dare talk to my mother like that, Potter!" he snarled.

"It's all right, Draco. I expect Potter will be reunited with dear Surius before I am reunited with Luscius."

"Harry, no!" moaned Hermione as Harry raised his wand higher. She struggled to pull his arm down to his side. "Think…you mustn't…you'll be in so much trouble…" Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, look at me," she continued. Harry was glaring at Mrs. Malfoy. Hermione grabbed the front of Harry's shirt and pulled his face down to hers. "Harry, stop."

Hermione watched as the rage slowly faded, leaving pure agony in his emerald eyes. However, that brief glimpse was quickly covered by cool detachment. Hermione sighed, glancing at Malfoy who was clutching his left arm.

"I don't think I want these any more – "

"You're right, Draco. Now that I know the….of scum that shop her…we'll do better at Twilfet and Tattings," said Mrs. Malfoy. She walked passed the trio closely followed by Malfoy. He glanced at Hermione briefly and then strode out of the shop.

Hermione's eyes went back to Harry's when she felt his warm hand close over hers and tug them off his collar.

"Hagrid's waiting," he said.

............................

When they had finished, they left the shop and joined Hagrid on the normally busy alley. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley joined them followed by Ginny who was craning her neck to see Quality Quidditch Supplies to no avail.

"Everyone all right?" asked Mrs. Weasley. "Got your robes? Right, then, we can pop in at the Apothecary and Eeylops on the way to Fred and George's – stick close, now…"

They followed Mrs. Weasley down the alley until they came to the Apothecary where Hermione bought her Potions materials. Harry and Ron were not taking Potions so they didn't purchase anything. At Eeylops Owl Emporium Harry bought some owl treats for Hedwig and Ron got some for Pigwidgeon as well.

They were all hurried out by Mrs. Weasley, who was impatient to be back at the Burrow. When they entered Weasley Wizard Wheezes, Hermione was engulfed in a disarray of goods that spun, bounced and flashed. Fred and George's shop was packed with customers and Hermione had to push her way through the crowd. She could make out the Nosebleed Nougats and the Fainting Fancies that she had tried to confiscate the last year. _Ugh_, she thought as she saw the Puking Pastilles. Hermione frowned as she recognized a group of boys purchasing the sweets.

Near the counter Hermione saw a shelf lined with boxes bearing a handsome young man and a swooning lady on a ship. The label read "_Patented Daydream Charms_." Hermione grabbed a box and turned it to read the description on the back. She glanced up as Harry moved beside her, she motioned him closer.

" ' _One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side-effects include vacant expression and minor drooling). Not for sale to under-sixteens.' _You know," said Hermione to Harry, "that really is extraordinary magic!"

"For that, Hermione," said a voice behind them, "you can have one for free." Hermione spun around to see Fred standing in magenta robes. She frowned at the fact that he'd heard her praise, there was no need for anyone to fuel either of the twin's egos. "How are you, Harry?" the two men shook hands, Fred glanced back at Hermione. "And what's happened to your eye, Hermione?"

"Your punching telescope." _So much for extraordinary magic it seems,_ she scowled.

"Oh, blimey, I forgot about those. Here – " Fred pulled out a tube from his robes and placed it in Hermione's hand. She eyed it carefully and unscrewed the cap. "Just dab it on, that bruise'll be gone within the hour. We had to find a decent bruise-remover, we're testing most of our products on ourselves."

"It is _safe_, isn't it?" Hermione glanced back at the yellow paste doubtfully.

"Course it is," Fred said indignantly. "Come on, Harry, I'll give you a tour." Hermione watched the two disappear into the crowd, she pulled her compact out of her bag and started to dab the paste around her eye.

"What's' that 'Mione?" asked Ginny.

"Some bruise-remover from Fred," answered Hermione. Ginny eyed the tube suspiciously.

"Are you sure he's not playing some prank?"

"If he is I'll kill him with my bare hands," said Hermione as she put the cap back on. She looked at Ginny who had stiffened beside her. "Gin?"

"What's Malfoy doing here?" the redhead said, squinting at the blonde that was leaving the shop. Hermione looked over her shoulder at the retreating figure.

"Probably trying to avoid his mother, I know I would if she were mine," she shrugged. Ginny giggled. Hermione continued to watch him until he walked out of sight down the alley out of sight. "How's Dean?" she asked suddenly looking at Ginny. The girl shrugged.

"He's fine."

"Ginny," said Hermione with a raised brow.

"Dean is just lovely, Hermione," said Ginny. "How's Ronald?"

Hermione glared at her. "He looked a little nauseous the last time I saw him, why ever do you ask?"

Ginny giggled again. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I'm just so tired of all this. I mean I know that following Harry around like a puppy wasn't getting me anywhere, but I feel bad leading Dean on. I mean, I like him but not enough." Hermione looked down. "Speak of the deatheater," joked Ginny, nodding her head towards Fred and Harry who were walking towards them.

"Haven't you girls found our special WonderWitch products yet?" Fred asked them, they both shook their heads. "Follow me, ladies…" He led them towards the window where Hermione say a display of bright pink products. "There you go, best range of love potions you'll find anywhere."

"Do they work?" asked Ginny skeptically.

"Certainly they work, for up to twenty-four hours at a time depending on the weight of the boy in question – "

"– and the attractiveness of the girl," said Fred's twin who appeared suddenly beside Hermione. "But we're not selling them to our sister," he said sternly, "not when she's already got about five boys on the go from what we've – "

"Whatever you've heard from Ron is a big fat lie," said Ginny looking at a pink bottle. "What's this?"

"Guaranteed Ten-Second Pimple Vanisher," said Fred, "excellent on everything from boils to blackheads, but don't change the subject. Are you or are you not currently going out with a boy called Dean Thomas?" Hermione grinned at the two frowning twins.

"Yes, I am," said Ginny calmly. "And last time I looked, he was definitely one boy, not five. What are those?" Harry glanced at Hermione and she laughed.

"Pygmy Puffs," said George. "Miniature puffskeins, we can't breed them fast enough; so what about Michael Corner?"

Hermione glanced at Harry, whose jaw was clenched at the mention of the boy who was dating Cho Chang. She frowned.

"I dumped him, he was a bad loser. They're really cute," she said pointing at the puffs.

"They're fairly cuddly, yes, but you're moving through boyfriends a bit fast, aren't you?" asked Fred.

"It's none of your business. And thank _you_," she snapped at Ron, who had just appeared at George's side, laden with merchandise, "not to tell tales about me to these two!" Ginny turned around and continued to examine the pygmy puffs. Hermione sighed in exasperation and joined her by the window.

"At least they're concerned," she whispered.

"Nosey is what they are, a fat lot of meddlesome housewives," snorted Ginny. Hermione trailed back to stand by Ron and Harry when Ginny went over to Mrs. Weasley.

"Wonder where his mummy is?" said Harry.

"Given her the slip by the looks of it," said Ron.

"Why, though?" wondered Hermione? _Tired of her again? _Harry looked around and then motioned for them to get under his Invisibility Cloak.

"Get under here, quick."

"Oh – I don't know, Harry," whispered Hermione, looking at Mrs. Weasley nervously.

"Come _on_!" urged Ron from under the cloak. Hermione hesitated, but then hurried under the cloak quickly. _Oh this is stupid_, she thought in irritation. Thankfully, no one noticed them as they disappeared in the middle of Fred and George's shop, they squeezed through the door but Malfoy was nowhere in sight.

"He was going in that direction, c'mon," whispered Harry as the passed Hagrid. They hurried down the street, peering into the shops until Hermione spotted him up ahead, turning onto Knockturn Alley.

"That's him, isn't it?" she whispered. "Turning left?"

"Big surprise," muttered Ron.

"Quick, or we'll lose him," said Harry. He started to speed up, causing the cloak to flap around their ankles.

"Our feet'll be seen!" warned Hermione.

"It doesn't matter, just hurry!" said Harry anxiously.

Knockturn Alley was even more deserted than Diagon, but it was no surprise to Hermione considering the war. She peered into the shop to the right and spotted Malfoy talking to the owner of a store called Borgin and Burkes. She reached for Harry's arm and pinched it, nervous to make any noise on the sinister street.

"Ouch!"

"Shh! Look! He's in there!" she whispered in his ear. "If only we could hear what they're saying!"

"We can!" said Ron. "Hang on – damn – " He fumbled with the boxes he still clutched, dropping a few. "Extendable Ears, look!"

"Fantastic!" beamed Hermione. "Oh, I hope this door isn't Imperturbable – "

"No, listen!" said Ron happily. The trio huddled around the end of the string, through which they could hear Malfoy's voice clearly.

"…you know how to fix it?"

"Possibly," replied Borgin. I'll need to see it, though. Why don't you bring it into the shop? He said, to Hermione his tone of voice sounded somewhat nervous.

"I can't," said Malfoy again, "it's got to stay put. I just need you to tell me how to do it."

"Well, without seeing it, I must say it will be a very difficult job, perhaps impossible. I couldn't guarantee anything."

"No?" sneered Malfoy. "Perhaps this will make you more confident." Malfoy moved towards Borgin and was blocked form view by a cabinet. Hermione, Ron, and Harry shuffled to the side to try and see him again, but they couldn't get a clear view. "Tell anyone," Malfou continued, "and there will be retribution. You know Fenir Greyback? He's a family friend, he'll be dropping by from time to time to make sure you're giving the problem your full attention."

"There will be no need for – "

"I'll decide that," snapped Malfoy. "Well, better be off. And don't forget to keep _that_ one safe, I'll need it."

"Perhaps you'd like to take it now?"

"No, of course I wouldn't, you stupid little man, how would I look carrying that down the street? Just don't sell it."

"Of course not…sir." Borgin bowed extremely low, the tip of his nose only a few inched from the ground.

"Not a word to anyone, Borgin, and that includes my mother, understand?" insisted Malfoy.

"Naturally, naturally," whispered the older man, bowing again.

The bell above the shop door tinkled as Malfoy swept out of the shop almost running into Hermione in the process.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron.

"Dunno," said Harry. "He wants something mended…and he wants to reserve something in there…could you see what he pointed at when he said 'that one'?"

"No, he was behind that cabinet – "

"You two stay here," whispered Hermione, making a split-second decision.

"What are you – ?"

Hermione ducked out from under the cloak and walked towards the door. She glanced at her hair in the window and rearranged it as she pushed the door open. She walked into the shop and stopped near Borgin.

"Hello, horrible morning, isn't it?" she said cheerfully. Borgin looked at her suspiciously. "Is that necklace for sale?" she said pointing to an elaborate opal necklace in a glass cabinet.

"If you've got one and a half thousand Galleons," said Borgin coldly. _Bloody hell!_

"Oh – er – no, I haven't got quite that much," said Hermione. "And…what about this lovely – um –skull?"

"Sixteen Galleons."

"So its for sale, then? It isn't being…kept for anyone?" she asjed casually. Borgin squinted at Hermione, she smiled weakly. "The thing is, that – er – boy who was in here just now, Draco Malfoy, well, he's a friend of mine, and I want to get him a birthday present, but if he's already reserved anything I obviously don't want to get him the same thing, so…um…"

"Out! Get out!" cried Borgin. _Shit._ Hermione turned on her heel and hurried for the door. She could hear Borgin coming behind her and as soon as she was on the street he slammed the door and turned the closed sign.

"Ah well," said Ron as he threw the cloak over Hermione. "Worth a try, but you were a bit obvious – " Hermione glared at him.

"Well, next time you can show me how it's done, Master of Mystery!" she snapped.

"What is that supposed to mean?" cried Ron in a hushed whisper.

"It means maybe you shouldn't judge from the sidelines!" Hermione started to walk faster back towards Fred and George's, forcing the two boys to scurry with her under the cloak.

"No one forced you to go in there!" He snapped back.

"No you didn't do anything did you, Ronald!" retorted Hermione. "No, you didn't have the nerve."

"Hermione – " started Harry.

"Don't you side with him, Harry!"

"What's your prob – ?" Ron was cut off by the sight of a frantic Mrs. Weasley and Hagrid standing outside of the shop. Ron and hermione were forced to stop bickering as they slipped in past the two and Harry pulled the cloak off them and stuffed it in his money-bag. Finally, when all signs of their detour where hidden they made their back towards Mrs. Weasley.

"Where on earth have you three been?" she cried when she spotted them.

"Mum, we were in the back looking at the Darkness Powder," lied Ron.

"Ginny checked in the back, she didn't see you," frowned Mrs. Weasley.

"Honestly, Mrs. Weasley," confirmed Hermione.

"Very well, dear. I suppose this store has its nooks and crannies, I dare say there are far too many people in here," said Mrs. Weasley. "Well, come along now. We've got to get back to the cars."


	3. Chapter 3: Another Encounter

3. Another Queer Encounter

During the last week before they would return to Hogwarts, Hermione had found herself counting down the days. She had quickly tired of being cooped up at the Burrow with Harry who was obsessed with what Malfoy had been doing in Knockturn Alley. Although Hermione agreed that it was strange she really did not want to waste her time thinking about the ferret. When the day of their departure arrived, Hermione was greatly overjoyed.

"Ginny!" she called looking under the kitchen table, "have you seen Crookshanks?"

"Yes, I put him in the basket!" called the redhead from upstairs. "He was in the git's room. Hermione sighed in relief, chuckling at Ginny's not so subtle jab at her older brother Percy. She really was not in the mood to deal with the cat and was grateful that Ginny had found him. Hermione rushed up the stairs with a stack of books in her arms to finish packing and to get her trunk and Crookshanks downstairs before the Ministry car arrived.

She ran past Ron and Harry as they made their way down the narrow staircase.

"Have you two packed yet?" she asked hurriedly.

"Don't worry 'Mione, there's plenty of time," shrugged Ron carelessly.

"Ronald! The car will be here any minute!" Hermione gasped. She barged into Ginny's room and dropped the textbooks into her open trunk. "Ah, I think that's everything," she said with satisfaction to Ginny. She glanced up happily to see Ginny moving around the room frantically grabbing random objects and throwing them into her trunk. She frowned. "Ginny, you said you'd finished."

"Yes, well clearly I forgot a few items."

"Do you need any help, Gin?" Hermione inquired.

"No, I really just need to find my other robes."

"They're by the window," said Hermione, grabbing her trunk and Crookshanks' basket. She hauled them out of the small room into the smaller hall as Ginny continued her frenzied search. She dropped the trunk heavily by the door and sat down at the table, grabbing a glass of pumpkin juice. "Thank you so much for having me, Mrs. Weasley. It was so nice to see everyone before school started."

"Oh, it was no trouble, dear," beamed Mrs. Weasley.

"I hope you'll write if I can help in anyway for the wedding."

"Yes, I will if I think of something," Mrs. Weasley frowned. Hermione giggled and Mrs. Weasley smiled sheepishly. "It's not till next summer, but I'll let you know Hermione."

"You're signing your life over to the Dark Arts, 'Mione," warned Ginny, who plunked down beside Hermione.

"I'm sure you're wrong," Hermione laughed. The three women stopped when Fleur came into the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear. Have some breakfast," urged Mrs, Weasley. Hermione smiled.

....................

Hermione grimaced as Fleur kissed Harry's cheek goodbye. She eyed the woman warily as Ron stepped forward eagerly, only Ginny stuck her foot out at the last minute, sending Ron sprawling into the dust at the half-Veela's feet. Hermione smirked as he jumped to his feet blushing furiously and hurried into the car that had just pulled into the driveway. _ Serves him right_, she thought smugly.

The trip to King's Cross Station was uneventful; Hermione, Harry and the Weasleys were packed into the car with the Ministry driver, who stared absently at the road in front of the vehicle. When they arrived there were two Ministry Aurors waiting at the station in Hagrid's place who flanked the group as they made their way towards Platform 9 ¾ .

"Quick, quick, through the barrier," urged Mrs. Weasley. "Harry had better go first, with – " she looked at one of the Aurors. The man nodded and steered Harry through the barrier to the other side. Hermione went next followed by Ginny and then Ron; Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came last.

Hermione smiled apologetically at Harry when he motioned for her and Ron to find an empty compartment.

"We can't, Harry. Ron and I've got to go to the prefect carriage first and then patrol the corridors for a bit," she reminded him.

"Oh yeah, I forgot."

"You'd better get straight on the train, all of you, you've only got a few minutes to go," said Mrs. Weasley. "Well, have a lovely term, Ron…" she trailed off when Harry asked to speak to Mr. Weasley.

Hermione watched the two walk out of earshot. _What are you up to Harry? _Hermione pursed her lips. _You better not be doing what I think you are. _She shrugged her shoulders at Ron as they hurried towards the Express, dragging their trunks behind them.

"We'll see you later, Gin!" she called.

"What's he doing?" asked Ron, motioning towards Harry and his father.

"I have no idea Ron, probably trying to get your dad to search the Malfoys' house or something," said Hermione.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Harry were right, but we don't really have that much to go on. I mean we don't even know what the git was talking about," agreed Ron. They entered the prefect compartment and stored their trunks and cages where their names were marked. They patrolled the corridors for a bit and then set off in search of Harry and the others. Hermione took the right side of the hall and Ron the left.

"They're in here?" called Ron from down the corrido when he finally spotted Harry sitting with Neville and Luna.

"I've just got to use the loo," said Hermione. She headed towards the other end of the corridor to where the bathrooms were. She was about to open the ladies' door when she heard voices coming from the compartment across the corridor. She peered in the window and caught a glimpse of blond hair. Hermione stepped quickly away and turned towards the bathroom again. _No need to push your luck spying on Malfoy!_ she thought gingerly.

"Do you make a habit of eavesdropping, Granger?" a voice drawled from behind her. Hermione froze and slowly turned around, Malfoy was leaning against the wall staring at her intently.

"I was not listening to your conversation, Malfoy," Hermione spat. "Why weren't you in the prefect compartment?" She accused quickly but Malfoy didn't respond, he just stood there looking at her. Hermione shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"You amuse me, Granger. That's all."

"And you delight me, Malfoy." Hermione snapped sarcastically, she stared at him for a moment before turning on her heel and marching town the hall towards her compartment with Malfoy's laughter ringing in her ears.

She looked back down the hallway when she had reached it, Malfoy was still standing there. Hermione frowned and then opened the door, slipping inside and she sat beside Ron.

"Malfoy's not doing prefect duty. He's just sitting in his compartment with the other Slytherins, we saw him when we passed," Ron was saying, Harry was listening intently. Hermione blushed slightly.

"What did he do when he saw you?"

"The usual," said Ron indifferently, demonstrating the rude hand gesture that Hermione had missed when they had been looking for Harry. "Not like him, though, is it?" Ron continues. "Well – _that _is – " he repeated the gesture again, but why isn't he out there bullying first years?"

"Dunno," said Harry.

"Maybe he preferred the Inquisitorial Squad," Hermione suggested. "Maybe being a prefect seems a bit tame after that." Hermione propped open her copy of _Advanced Rune Translation,_ eager to change the subject for some reason.

"I don't think so. I think he's – " Harry was cut off as the compartment door slid open, revealing a third-year girl who looked incredibly nervous.

"I'm supposed to deliver these to Neville Longbottom and Harry P-Potter," she stuttered. She held out two scrolls of parchment tied with violet ribbon. Hermione watched her leave after the two boys took the scrolls.

"What is it?" demanded Ron.

"An invitation," said Harry in confusion.

"_Harry, _

_ I would be delighted if you would join me for a bite of lunch in compartment C._

_ Sincerely, Professor H.E.F. Slughorn"_

"Who's Professor Slughorn?" asked Neville as Hermione read the invitation over his shoulder.

"New teacher," said Harry. "Well, I suppose we'll have to go, won't we?"

"But what does he want me for?" asked Neville nervouslyl

"No idea, listen. Let's go under the Invisibility Cloak, then we might get a look at Malfoy on the way, see what he's up to," said Harry excitedly. Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed her nose further into her book.

…………...............

When Neville returned with Ginny instead of Harry Hermione had started to get worried. She was sure something had happened to Harry; _Malfoy had probably caught him spying on him or something. Why else would Harry be taking so long?_

"Where do you suppose he is?" she asked nervously.

"What do you think, Hermione?" asked Ron. Hermione twisted her fingers.

"Yes, I know. But still? Neville got back half an hour ago!" The train had arrived at the station and students were starting to leave the train. "Ron! What do we do?" Ron was looking out the window trying to spot Harry in the crowd.

"He probably thought we left without him, I'd say our best bet would be to see if he's already at the castle," he suggested, shrugging his shoulders.

"But what if Malfoy caught him eavesdropping?"

"Harry had his cloak."

_But he saw me, and I only looked in for a second!_

Hermione followed Ron out of the compartment and into the corridor, they made their way towards the exit. Hermione craned her neck, desperate to see Harry's messy hair anywhere.

"Calm down, Hermione. Harry's fine," Ron whispered in her ear. He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd towards the carriages.


	4. Chapter 4: An Irritating Ferret

4. An Irritating Ferret

Ron's confidence that Harry would be at the castle did nothing to ease Hermione's anxiety whatsoever. As they made their way through the throng towards the carriages, Hermione went through possible tragic events that would explain Harry's absence.

There was the most likely one, that Malfoy had caught him. Which led to two more possible scenarios. The first being that Malfoy had jinxed him, letting him rot somewhere on the train; or that a teacher had caught them dueling and sent them to McGonagall ahead of the other students. Probably this so called Professor Slughorn. Hermione sincerely hoped that it had been that latter.

Hermione smiled at Ron, who had opened the carriage door for her, she hoisted herself through and sat down in a corner.

"What did Harry say he was doing?" she asked Neville for the fifth time.

"He didn't," Ginny answered for the boy she'd addressed. Neville was busy, occupied with trying to jump into the carriage. "He just said that he would see us later," she plopped down next to Hermione, "he was rather sharp about it." Ginny shrugged and turned to talk to Luna about the pigmy puff she had gotten from Fred and George.

"'Mione it'll be fine, what could have happened?" asked Ron.

Hermione shrugged and looked up at Hogwarts.

Harry could have also run into Cho Chang, much to Hermione's unease but she had to admit it was a possibility. She glanced at Ginny, who was talking animatedly to Luna, _would he ever see how wonderful she was?_ Hermione frowned to herself and sighed in disgust, boys were so stupid. They could be smart when they wanted to be, but as soon as soon as a girl was involved they either froze or were too oblivious to notice.

Although, Hermione doubted that Harry would have been able to fix his relationship between Cho so this was unlikely. Hermione agreed that the girl was prone to overreacting but Harry hadn't handled the situation the previous year very well. No, it was most likely that Harry had been jinxed to the bottom of the Great Lake.

………………………..

Harry was not in the Great Hall when Hermione and Ron got there. _Oh dear!_ Her mind whirred frantically. _Where is he?_ She glared accusingly at Ron as they found spots at the Gryffindor table; he ignored meekly her look and continued to look around for Harry.

"He's not here!" she cried.

"Well where is he?" he said worriedly. Hermione glanced around the Great Hall. The hall was fitted in its usual décor, with the candles floating above the tables. Hermione's eyes fell on Malfoy, who was sitting at the Slytherin table surrounded by his fellow housemates, looking incredibly smug. Hermione frowned thoughtfully.

Her breath caught in her throat when Malfoy looked up directly at her, his ice blue eyes were gleaming as he smirked at her. He really was quite attractive, Hermione had to admit. It was just the fact that he was an asshole…well and the son of a Death Eater that really turned her off. She looked away from the blond self-consciously and continued scanning the hall for Harry. She bit her lip nervously.

"If he doesn't show up soon, we should go to Professor McGonagall," she whispered in Ron's ear when she failed to spot him. Ron grimaced as Professor McGonagall walked to the front of the hall with the stool and the sorting hat a line of first years trailing behind her.

"I guess so," he agreed.

Professor McGonagall set the stool down and placed the ancient hat on top, almost immediately it came to life and began to sing:

"_In these dark and uncertain times_

_We must continue on our quest_

_We're reminded by these very rhymes_

_Lest we forget to step forth, the very best_

_Brought together by a thirst for knowledge_

_Our loyalties joined and loathing put aside_

_The time has come for us to pledge_

_Together, for danger is rolling in with the tide_

_The four pillars of this school_

_Must band together and unite as one_

_For apart we're simply fools_

_So come along and see young 'uns_

_If we can fill your empty heads_

_Which house is meant to be?_

_Perchance you'll be in Gryffindor_

_The bravest of the brave you see_

_Daring in all of the wizard lore_

_Or perhaps in Ravenclaws with their big brains_

_The witty and the smart_

_The masters of riddles and the games_

_But Hufflepuff may be your house_

_If you're loyal and pure of heart_

_They'll make the best of spouses_

_And finally, at last the house of Slytherin_

_Filled with cunning lords of scheme_

_A grand house to be in_

_So put me atop your head and over your ears_

_I've yet to be claimed wrong_

_Throw away all your trembles and fears_

_And find out where you belong!"_

The hall erupted into applause when the hat became silent and Professor McGonagall stepped forward, a large scroll in hand.

"Rather short this year, compared to last year's, eh?" commented Ron. Hermione nodded in agreement.

The hat quickly sorted through the line of first years, each house clapping when they gained a student. Hermione and Ron glanced at each other when the food appeared with still no sign of Harry.

"I'm going to tell McGonagall," said Hermione as she stood.

"Give it a moment," said Ron through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. Hermione sighed, her anxiety tripling if possible. Just then the doors to the hall opened and Harry entered with Snape walking closely behind him. Hermione nudged Ron in the ribs as Harry made his way over to them. "Where've you – blimey, what've you done to your face?" asked Ron, gaping at Harry. Hermione gasped as well she saw Harry's face. It was covered in dried blood, that she could only assume was his own.

"Why, what's wrong with it?" asked Harry. Hermione grabbed her wand.

"You're covered in blood! Come here – " she raised her wand and cleaned the dried layer off.

"Thanks," said Harry, "how's my nose looking?" He reached up to feel the object in question.

"Normal," Hermione said. "Why shouldn't it? Harry, what happened, we've been terrified!" She glanced at him anxiously but Harry avoided her gaze.

"I'll tell you later," Harry said shortly.

"But – " said Hermione, she glanced anxiously at Malfoy.

"Not now, Hermione," Harry snapped.

Hermione looked back at Harry in concern. She frowned slightly, biting her lip, a sign of her agitation. She watched as he reached for some chips only to pull back as chocolate pudding replaced the potatoes.

"You missed the Sorting, anyway," she said softly. But Harry only paused for a moment before reaching for his favourite, treacle tart.

"Hat say anything interesting?"

"More of the same, really…advising us all to unite in the face of our enemies, you know," answered Hermione.

"Dumbledore mentioned Voldemort at all?"

"Not yet, but he always saves his proper speech for after the feast, doesn't he? It can't be long now." Hermione looked up at the teachers' table, Professor Dumbledore was in avid conversation with Professor Flitwick, gesturing enthusiastically with one hand, a slice of apple pie in front of him.

"Snape said Hagrid was late for the feast," said Harry.

"You've seen Snape? How come?" asked Ron around a mouthful of cake. Hermione wrinkled her nose at his lack of manners.

"Bumped into him," Harry said dismissively.

"Hagrid was only a few minutes late," said Hermione, she glanced at him at the staff table. "Look, he's waving at you, Harry." She grabbed an apple from the table and took a bite. "So what did Professor Slughorn want?" _Surely you'll answer that with more than five words._

"To know what really happened at the Ministry."

"Him and everyone else here," added Hermione frostily.

"Yeah," agreed Ron, who had emerged from his dessert. "All wanting to know if you really are the Chosen One – "

"There has been much talk on that very subject even amongst the ghosts," interrupted Nearly Headless Nick. His head wobbled dangerously. "I am considered something of a Potter authority; it is widely know that we are friendly. I have assured the spirit community that I will not pester you for information, however. 'Harry Potter knows that he can confide in me with complete confidence,' I told them. 'I would rather die than betray his trust.'" Hermione smiled discreetly.

"That's not saying much, seeing as you're already dead," Ron observed.

"Once again, you show all the sensitivity of a blunt axe," replied Nick, gliding away from them reproachfully. Hermione smacked the back of Ron's head lightly. He started to say something back but stopped when Dumbledore rose to his feet.

"The very best of evenings to you!" he smiled. Hermione's eyes flew to his outstretched arms and down his right arm to his hand. It looked as if all the colour had been drained out, leaving it black and mottled.

"What happened to his hand?" Hermione gasped with the rest of the hall. Dumbledore smiled again and shook his purple robe over it. Hermione glanced at Harry worriedly.

"Nothing to worry about," Professor Dumbledore assured them, "now…to our new students, welcome; to our old students, welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you…"

"His hand was like that when I saw him over the summer," Harry whispered to her when she glanced at him again. "I thought he'd have cured it by now, though…or Madame Pomfrey would've done."

"It looks as if it's died," said Hermione. She caught another glimpse of the Headmaster's hand. She grimaced. "But there are some injuries you can't cure…old curses…and there are poisons without antidotes…"

"…and Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to say that there is a blanket ban on any joke items bought at the shop called Weasley Wizard Wheezes," Dumbledore continued. "Those wishing to play for their house Quidditch teams should give their names to their Heads of House as usual. We are looking for new Quidditch commentators, who should do likewise."

Hermione beamed at Harry.

"We are pleased to welcome a new member of staff this year. Professor Slughorn," Professor Dumbledore was saying; Hermione looked at the bald man who stood up, "is a former colleague of mine who has agreed to resume his old post of Potions master."

"_Potions_?" mouthed Hermione.

"Potions?" Ron choked through his last spoonful of pudding. They looked at Harry, "But you said – "

"Professor Snape, meanwhile," Dumbledore continued when the hall became silent. "Will be taking over the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"No!" yelled Harry in outrage. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth.

"But, Harry, you said that Slughorn was going to be teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts!" she cried. _How could Dumbledore do this? How could he give in to Snape…how could he give him what he wanted?_

"I thought he was!" Harry said. "Well, there's one good thing," he continued savagely, "Snape'll be gone by the end of the year."

"What do you mean?" asked Ron.

"That the job's jinxed. No one's lasted more than a year…Quirrell actually died doing it. Personally, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed for another death…"

"Harry!" exclaimed Hermione. Shock coloured her outburst.

"He might just go back to teaching Potions at the end of the year," reasoned Ron. "That Slughorn bloke might not stay long-term, Moody didn't."

Hermione looked back at the staff table, Professor McGonagall was staring down at the table, her lips in a thin line. The rest of the Hogwarts staff did not look pleased either, only Snape looked smug. She frowned, surely Dumbledore had a hidden agenda. Yes, she thought; he was trying to make Snape feel comfortable. Maybe he knew something Dumbledore needed.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, "Now, as everybody in this Hall knows, Lord Voldemort and his followers are once more at large and gaining strength." Hermione glanced at Malfoy, he was levitating his fork in front of him as if Dumbledore's words were irrelevant. "I cannot emphasize strongly enough how dangerous the present situation is, and how much care each of us at Hogwarts mush take to ensure that we remain safe. The castle's magical fortifications have been strengthened over the summer, we are protected in new and more powerful ways, but we must still guard scrupulously against carelessness on the part of any student of member of the staff. I urge you, therefore, to abide any security restrictions that your teachers might impose upon you, however irksome you might find them – in particular, the rule that you are not to be out of bad after hours." Dumbledore gazed around the hall.

"I implore you, should you notice anything strange or suspicious within or outside the castle, to report it to a member of the staff immediately. I trust you to conduct yourselves, always, with the utmost regard for your own and each other's safety," he smiled softly. "But now, your beds await, as warm and comfortable as you could possibly wish, and I know that your top priority is to be well-rested for your lessons tomorrow. Let us therefore say goodnight. Pip pip!"

All the students rose from there benches with the usual deafening scrape of wood against stone floor, as they made their way towards the double oak doors.

"I'll see you later," Hermione said quickly before running ahead to help the first-years. "This way first-years, Gryffindor, follow me," she ordered the confused looking group. She guided them towards the stairs leading that led up to the seventh floor. "Careful now, they move," she glanced over her shoulder. "Jump the fifth step," she sighed. "Yes, that one." She walked down back to the boy who'd fallen through and hoisted him out of the trap step by his armpits.

"A bit dumb aren't they?"

Hermione frowned at the drawl coming from behind her; she turned to face the blond who was smirking at her.

"That's a bit rich coming from you Malfoy," she sneered. She stepped around the young boy to face him. _Ugh_, he looked like a model out of one of her muggle magazines, just standing there looking up a her. His hair was hanging slightly over his icy grey eyes but his traditional smirk was quite prominent.

_Wait! When had she started thinking Malfoy looked like a model? What was happening?_

"I've got to spread the wealth," Malfoy's voice brought her back to reality.

"Why don't you crawl off to your dingy dungeons, ferret!"

"You're touchy for a _Mudblood,_" Malfoy's said in an observant tone, his lips caressing the insult; a few of the first-years behind Hermione gasped. Hermione shuddered as she felt his eyes crawl down her body before coming back again.

"I don't have time for this," she glared, stepping forward. _Damn his blue eyes! _Hermione prodded him hard in the chest, "Back off Malfoy."

"Or what? You'll give me detention?" he whispered, stepping closer. _Bad idea! Bad idea!_ Her mind yelled at her in panic. Hermione stepped back; she wasn't sure if it was instinct or voluntary, she didn't care though. She was glad to put some distance between them, it was like he was a predator and she was the prey. His prey.

She turned around quickly and stormed up the stairs. "Well, come on!" she barked at the first-years, who were standing half up the stairs looking back and forth between them. They scampered past her with frightened looks; but before Hermione turned the corner she couldn't help but look back over her shoulder. Only there was nothing to look at but a crowd of Hogwarts students.


	5. Chapter 5: The HalfBlood Prince

5. The Half-Blood Prince

Hermione yawned widely, before rolling over. She didn't feel like getting up, which in itself was odd behavior for her. She sighed propping herself up on her elbows. The curtains on her bed were still drawn but Hermione could see the sunlight through a crack near the wall. _Ugh_, there was no postponing it now.

She rolled onto her side and pushed the curtains away. No one else was up yet. This was fine by Hermione, she preferred to get ready in the morning in peace rather than listen to Lavender and Parvati shriek at each other that they had nothing to wear. That was probably one of the downsides of Hogwarts, all the girls, excluding the Ginny and a few older ones, were complete ditzes.

Hermione skipped down the stairs to the common room to meet Harry and Ron before breakfast. As soon as Harry saw her he motioned her over to the corner he and Ron were standing in.

"Good morning," she greeted both of them.

"Hermione…." started Harry

"But he was obviously showing off for Parkinson, wasn't he?" interrupted Ron. They were debating about Malfoy…again. Hermione bit her lip uneasily; Harry had turned to look at her expectantly.

"Well, I don't know…it would be like Malfoy to make himself seem more important than he is…but that's a big lie to tell…" she hedged.

"Exactly!" yelled Harry triumphantly. However, he stopped talking about Malfoy as most of the students that had come down to the common room were staring at him. Hermione frowned; her mind was still on what Harry had said about Draco Malfoy. As much as she despised the boy she could not bring herself to believe that he was truly that evil. Granted, his father seemed to be but if you rooted around he was probably just too afraid to stand up to Voldemort.

"It's rude to point, " snapped Ron as they headed towards the portrait hole; Hermione sighed impatiently at the first-year. He was the same one that had gotten stuck in the step the previous night. Ron sniggered as the boy blushed and stumbled through the portrait hole. "I love being a sixth-year. _And _we're going to be getting free time this year. Whole periods when we can just sit up here and relax."

'We're going to need that time for studying, Ron," Hermione reminded him. They turned the corner and made their way down the corridor.

"Yeah, but not today," beamed Ron. "Today's going to be a real doss, I reckon." Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's joy, her eyes falling on a lime-green Fanged Frisbee in the hands of a fourth-year. The boy pushed past her but she was too quick.

"Hold it!" she threw out her arm and stopped him in his tracks. "Fanged Frisbees are banned, hand it over," she smiled lightly when the boy dejectedly gave her the Frisbee and ran off. Ron watched him until he was out of sight and then tugged it out of her hand.

"Excellent, I've always wanted one of these."

"Ronald, you can't honestly think that you can…" Hermione's voice was drowned out by a fit of giggles coming from Lavender as she walked by the trio. The girl coyly glanced over her shoulder at Ron before giggling again and then rushing off with Parvati. Hermione scowled at the smug look on Ron's face. She elbowed Harry in the ribs when he chuckled.

They continued towards the Great Hall, Ron and Harry chatting with Hermione following in stony silence. It wasn't as if she liked Ron really…it was more that…well..she just didn't want him to go out with some twit like Lavender. Merlin she would hang out with them if Ron started dating her. Hermione smirked slightly at that thought; Ron would never have the nerve to ask her out any way.

They had reached the Great Hall by then and Hermione followed Harry and Ron towards the Gryffindor table, she bit her lip nervously as they walked past the Slytherin table. She met Malfoy's eyes for a moment before she frowned and sat down next to Ginny.

What was Malfoy playing at? She couldn't remember them ever interacting so much…and there hadn't been as many insults as usual. She frowned again as she grabbed a slice of toast.

" 'Mione, Hagrid thinks we're taking Care of Magical Creatures," said Harry a few minutes later.

"What?" cried Hermione, instantly distracted form her own thoughts.

"Yeah, last night he mentioned seeing us next lesson," agreed Ron.

"But he can't really think we'd continue Care of Magical Creatures!" Hermione said shrilly. "I mean, when has any of us expressed…you know…any enthusiasm?"

"That's it, though, innit?" Ron said around a whole fried egg. "We're the only ones who made the most effort in class because we like Hagrid. But he thinks we liked the stupid _subject_. D'you reckon anyone's going to go on to N.E.W.T.?"

Hermione stared at Ron, horror washing through her. She took a bite of toast. Vast amounts of guilt were rolling through her. It was as if Peeves had dumped a bucket full of cold water on her head, Hagrid would be crushed that the _Golden Trio_ was dropping his class.

Harry nudged her ten minutes later; Hagrid was leaving the table.

They waved half-heartedly at him. Hermione felt slightly nauseas

After they had finished eating, the students remained at the tables, waiting for the Head of their Houses to hand out timetables. This took longer than previous years since Professor McGonagall had to confirm they had achieved the necessary O.W.L. grades to take their chosen N.E.W.T.s but thankfully Hermione's discussion would be quite short.

"Miss Granger, your timetable," said McGonagall, handing her the sheet of parchment. Hermione glanced down; she had been cleared for Charms, Defence Against the dark Arts, Transfiguration, Herbology, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Potions. Hermione grabbed her bag and left for Ancient Runes, she only had five minutes to get to Professor Bin's classroom.

…………………………

Hermione waited outside of the Defence Against the Dark Arts class for Harry and Ron, a stack of books in her arms.

"We got so much homework for Runes. A fifteen-inch essay, two translations and I've got to read these by Wednesday!" she complained when they came down the corridor.

"Shame, " yawned Ron. Hermione glared at him.

"You wait, I bet Snape gives us loads. "

The door opened suddenly to reveal none other than Professor Snape looking at the cluster of students outside his class with distaste.

"Inside."

The students filed into the classroom looking at each other nervously; Neville who was staring at him in horror. Hermione sat down and reached inside her bag for her textbook.

"I have not asked you to take out your books," said Snape, closing the door as the last student scurried in. He clasped his hands behind his back. Hermione pulled her hand out of her bag. "I wish to speak to you and I want your fullest attention. " His eyes flickered across the students' faces. "You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe."

Hermione frowned slightly.

"Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given the confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an O.W.L. in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the N.E.W.T. work, which will be much more advanced." Snape continued as he walked around the edge of the classroom.

"The Dark Arts, are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible."

"Your defences, must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the Arts you seek to undo. These pictures," Snape motioned to the illustrations on the walls. "Give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance, the Cruciatus Curse," he indicated a witch screaming in agony. "Feel the Dementor's Kiss," he pointed to a wizard with blank eyes, slumped against a wall. "Or provoke the aggression of the Inferius'," Snape continued. Hermione looked at the third painting Snape mentioned; a bloody mass that implied a body.

"Has an Inferius been seen, then?" asked Parvati Patil. "Is it definite, is he using them?"

"The Dark Lord has used Inferius in the past, which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now…" Snape moved towards his desk, his cloak billowing behind him. "…you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of non-verbal spells. What is the advantage of a non-verbal spell?"

Hermione shot her hand into the air. She frowned as Snape avoided her until he saw there was no one else that offered a guess.

"Very well – Miss Granger?"

"Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform," answered Hermione, "which gives you a split-second advantage."

"An answer copied almost word for word from _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6_," he dismissed. Malfoy sniggered. "But correct in essentials. Yes, those who progress to using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course; it is a question of concentration and mind power which some," he glanced at Harry for a moment before continuing, "lack."

"You will now divide into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other_ without speaking_. The other will attempt to repel the jinx _in equal silence_. Carry on."

Hermione paired with Neville since Harry and Ron were already standing next to each other. Harry had shown her how to shield last year in D.A. but she had never attempted the spell silently. Fortunately she he managed to repel Neville's muttered Jelly-Legs Jinx but Snape ignored her.

Hermione watched nervously as Snape came to a rest next to Harry and Ron. Ron was beginning to get purple in the face as he tried to unsuccessfully jinx Harry silently. His lips were clenched tightly to prevent himself from whispering the incantation. Her eyes drew back to Snape as he and Harry was waiting patiently for silent jinx. If Snape weren't standing there threateningly she would have found the situation rather funny.

"Pathetic, Weasley," droned Snape. Hermione glanced at Ron, whose ears had gone red. Hermione glanced back at Neville, who looked like he wasn't having any luck. She sighed and than looked back at Harry, Ron and Snape.

"Here – let me show you – "

Hermione gasped as Snape pointed his wand at Harry so fast that Harry yelled, "Protego!" completely ignoring Snape's instructions on using non-verbal spells. Snape was knocked backwards and hit a desk awkwardly. Snape righted himself and glared at Harry.

"Do you remember me telling you we were practicing _non-verbal_ spells, Potter?"

"Yes," Harry answered stiffly.

"Yes, _sir_," corrected Snape.

"There's no need to call me "sir", Professor."

Hermione clamped a hand over her mouth.

_Harry, you are so stupid!_

"Detention, Saturday night, my office," said Snape. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter…not even the _Chosen One_."

Hermione frowned_. _

"Put away your wands, and practice before next class. I would sincerely hope that you will master this technique before October," Snape walked to the front of the class before adding, "although I recognize that that would be an unrealistic feat. You are dismissed."

Hermione grabbed her bag and exited the classroom, waiting in the hall for Harry and Ron. She leaned against the stonewall, tapping her foot lightly. She exhaled nervously when Malfoy leaned next to her.

"You should have seen your face, Granger," he smiled. "When Potter back-talked Snape, it was…priceless." He chuckled, looking away from her. Hermione starred at him. Draco Malfoy, leaning casually against the wall, next to her….teasing her.

"I can't believe the nerve of him, what did he expect Snape to do? Congratulate him on his witty disrespect?" Hermione frowned. She looked up to find Malfoy watching her. "What are you playing at, Malfoy?"

Malfoy smirked, and pushed off from the wall.

"I think you're finally losing it, Granger."

She stared after him.

"That was brilliant, Harry!" cried Ron, coming up to Hermione, she looked away from the retreating blonde quickly.

"You really shouldn't have said it," frowned Hermione. She glared at Ron. "What made you?"

"He tried to jinx me, in case you didn't notice!" yelled Harry. "I had enough of that during those Occlumency lessons! Why doesn't he use other guinea pigs for a change? What's Dumbledore playing at, anyway, letting him teach Defence? Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? He loves them! All that _unfixed, indestructible _stuff – "

"Well, I thought he sounded a bit like you," objected Hermione.

"Like _me_?"

"Yes, when you were telling us what it's like to face Voldemort. You said it wasn't just memorizing a bunch of spells, you said it was just you and your brains and your guts – well, wasn't that what Snape was saying? That it really comes down to being brave and quick-thinking?" Hermione explained.

Harry closed his mouth, a puzzled look on his face.

"Harry! Hey, Harry!"

Hermione looked over her shoulder; Jack Sloper, a fellow Gryffindor was hurrying towards them.

"For you," he handed Harry a role of parchment. "Listen, I heard you're the new Captain. When're you holding trials?"

"I'm not sure yet, I'll let you know."

"Oh, right. I was hoping it'd be this weekend – " Jack was cut off as Harry pulled Hermione and Ron down the corridor, unrolling the parchment as he went. Hermione looked over his shoulder at the slanted writing.

_Dear Harry, _

_ I would like to start our private lessons this Saturday. Kindly come along to my office at eight p.m. I hope you are enjoying your first day back at school. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_P.S. I enjoy Acid Pops_

"He enjoys Acid Pops?" said Ron in confusion.

"It's the password to get past the gargoyle outside his study. Ha! Snape's not going to be pleased…I won't be able to do his detention!" Harry said gleefully.

"Did he say what he's going to show you?" asked Ron.

"No, he just said private lessons and when I asked he said, 'A little of this, a little of that.' I really have no idea…probably something to do with Voldemort though."

"I bet he teaches you loads of spectacular jinxes and hexes, to use on Death Eaters. I bet they won't even know half of the jinxes Dumbledore teaches you," Ron fantasized eagerly. "Imagine…hexing Malfoy and the look of awe and horror on his face as he feels unimaginable – "

"Dumbledore is not going to teach Harry illegal jinxes, Ronald," Hermione cut in, "it's much more likely that he will teach you advanced defensive magic." She rolled her eyes at the dazed look in Ron's eyes, as he probably watched an imaginary Draco Malfoy turn into a pile of goo.

They spent the remainder of break debating what the private lessons would consist of. Right before the bell ran, Hermione left them with strict orders to finish their Defence homework and headed for her Arithmancy class.

………………………….

Professor Vector had also given her a lot of homework. Hermione bit her lip as she heaved her bag onto her shoulder. She saw Harry and Ron sitting in the Great Hall. They still hadn't finished Snape's homework.

They trudged out of the Great Hall and headed down below the castle to the dungeons, where the Potions class was held. Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and Millicent Bulstrode, and Malfoy and clearly made it to N.E.W.T level Potions. They were leaning against the wall facing the stairs. Lisa Turpin from Ravenclaw and three others Hermione did not know were also huddled in the hall, as well as Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff.

"Harry," said Ernie, shaking his hand. "Didn't get a chance to speak in Defence Against the Dark Arts this morning. Good lesson, I thought, but Shield Charms are old hat, of course, for us old DA lags…and how are you, Ron – Hermione?"

Hermione smiled at him and was about to speak before the dungeon door opened revealing, Professor Slughorn. He greeted Harry and Zabini with particular enthusiasm as the students filed in through the doorway. The Slytherins sat together as did the Hufflepuffs, leaving Ernie to sit with Hermione, Harry, and Ron. They sat at the table nearest a gold-coloured cauldron that was emitting one of the most seductive smells Hermione had ever smelled.

It reminded her of freshly mown grass simultaneously with the scent of parchment and something she couldn't quite place. It was however, by the far the most alluring of the three, somewhat musky. Hermione frowned as Professor Slughorn directed them to get our their scales and potion-kits. Ron and Harry went up to speak to him about borrowing supplies as Hermione got her equipment organized.

"Now then, I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of thing you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T.s. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?" He pointed to the cauldron full of Veritaserum. Hermione raised her hand confidently. Professor Slughorn nodded at her.

"It's Veritaserum, a colourless, odourless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," she answered.

"Very good, very good!" praised Professor Slughorn. "Now, this one here is pretty well-known…featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately, too…who can – ?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir."

"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here…yes, my dear?"

Hermione frowned at the slightly bemused look on the man's face.

"It's Amortentia."

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask," beamed Professor Slughorn, "but I assume you know what it does?"

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world," she rattled off.

"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?"

"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," continued Hermione. "And, it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and – " Hermione broke off. _That was close! ….What would I have said anyway?_ Hermione exhaled nervously.

"May I ask your name, my dear?"

"Hermione Granger, sir."

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"No, I don't think so , sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see."

Malfoy whispered something to Nott who sniggered. However, Slughorn beamed and looked from her to Harry, who was sitting next to her.

"Oho! '_One of my best friends is Muggle-born and she's the best in our year!'_ I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?"

"Yes, sir," answered Harry.

"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger," smiled Slughorn. Malfoy looked shocked.

"Did you really tell him I'm the best in the year? Oh, Harry!"

"Well, what's so impressive about that?" asked Ron. "You _are_ the best in the year – I'd've told him so if he'd asked me!"

Hermione smiled at him warmly, she held her finger to her lips as Slughorn continued.

"Amortentia doesn't really create _love_, of course. It is impossible to manufacture or imitate love. No, this will simply cause powerful infatuation or obsession. It is probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room – oh yes," he said, nodding gravely at Malfoy and Nott, both of whom were smirking skeptically. "When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love…"

"And now, it is time for us to start work."

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," said Ernie Macmillan, pointing at a small black cauldron standing on Slughorn's desk. The potion within was splashing merrily; it was the colour of molten gold, and large drops were leaping like goldfish above the surface, though not a drop had spilled.

"Oho," said Slughorn gleefully. "Yes. That. Well, _that_ one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis."

Hermione gasped.

"I take it," Slughorn looked at Hermione, "that you know what Felix Felicis does, Miss Granger?" He smiled warmly at her.

"It's liquid luck," gushed Hermione. "It makes you lucky!" She leaned forward to get a better look inside the cauldron.

"Quite right, take another ten points for Gryffindor," said Slughorn. Hermione beamed. "Yes, it's a funny littlie potion, Felix Felicis," he continued. "Desperately tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. However, if brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all your endeavors tend to succeed…at least until the effects wear off."

"Why don't people drink it all the time, sir?" asked Terry Boot.

"Because if taken in excess, it caused giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence," explained Professor Slughorn. "Too much of a good thing, you know…highly toxic in large quantities. But taken sparingly, and very occasionally…"

"Have you ever taken it, sir?" asked Michael Corner?

"Twice in my life; once when I was twenty-four, once when I was fifty-seven. Two tablespoons taken with breakfast. Two perfect days."

Slughorn seemed to be thinking of those perfect days, or at least trying to give the impression of completed contentment. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"And that," he said, seeming to realize he was in a classroom full of students, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson. One tiny bottle of Felix Felicix," he reached into his cloak pocket, revealing a small vial with a cork. "Enough for twelve hours' luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything you attempt. "

"Now, I must give you warning that Felix Felicis is a banned substance in organized competitions…sporting events, for instance, examinations or elections. So the winner is to use it on an ordinary day only…and watch how that ordinary day becomes extraordinary!"

"So," said Slughorn briskly. "How are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of _Advanced Potion-Making_. We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it's more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does the best, however, will win little Felix Felicis here. Off you go!"

Hermione already had her book open and was hurriedly scanning down the list of ingredients. They the

_**~ Draught of Living Death ~**_

_3 ¼ oz. Wormwood _

_4 oz. powdered root of Asphodel _

_1 bunch of Valerian Roots_

_1Sloth Brain_

_1 Sopophorous Bean _

She jumped of and hurried towards the store cupboard, closely followed by Malfoy and Zabini. Hermione grabbed all her ingredients and tried to maneuver around the two Slytherins to reach the door.

"Granger."

Hermione froze. Malfoy was holding up a sprig of valerian root.

She stared up at him blankly.

The muscle near his jaw clenched.

This seemed to jolt Hermione back to her senses. She had forgotten to get the root. She took them from him hesitantly.

"Um…"

Malfoy stared at her for a minute, his grey eyes completely vacant of all superior inclinations. He smirked suddenly.

"Close your mouth and go make your draught, Granger," he drawled, turning to get the correct amount of Asphodel. Hermione nodded, jerking towards her seat by Harry a bit unsteadily. She began slicing the roots carefully, her mind abuzz. She glanced up as Malfoy slid into his seat in front of them and began cutting the roots as well. Hermione shook her head and bent towards her work in frustration. _What am I doing? Staring at Malfoy when I should be brewing! Ugh, get a hold of yourself Granger!_

Hermione shook her head and scooped up the roots, tossing them into her cauldron, it instantly turned a "smooth, blackcurrant-colour" just as the textbook describe. Hermione smiled, happily and glanced at the next step.

_Cut Sopophorous Bean to release juice and add to cauldron. _

This proved to be easier said then done. Hermione bit her lip in exasperation. After, slicing the beans as much as possible without loosing a finger, she added it to the potion and frowned. It turned a light purple. She glanced at the book, it was supposed to be "a pale lilac."

"Can I borrow your silver knife?" asked Harry.

Hermione nodded impatiently, glaring at the small text in front of her. She glanced at Harry's to gauge his progress, he was stirring counter-clockwise, her eyes flickered to the liquid. She frowned. Harry's potion was pale pink.

"How are you doing that?"

"Add a clockwise stir – "

"No, no, the book says counter-clockwise!" Hermione turned away from Harry. _What is going on?! Malfoy is being helpful….Harry is beating me! Bloody hell! You don't have time for this! Think, Hermione, think!_

"And time's…up!" called Slughorn. "Stop stirring, please!"

Slughorn moved slowly between the tables, peering at the cauldrons. He made no comments, but occasionally gave the potions a stir, or a sniff. At last he reached the table where Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ernie were sitting. He smiled ruefully at the tarlike substance in Ron's cauldron. He passed over Ernie's navy concoction. He nodded in approval at Hermione's but a look of incredible delight spread over his face when his eyes fell on Harry's.

"The clear winner! Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good Lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent, she was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are, then, here you are – one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well!" Hermione watched as Harry slipped the bottle into his inner pocket, feeling an odd combination of pride, disappointment, jealousy and guilt.

"How'd you do that?" whispered Ron as they left the dungeon.

"Got lucky, I suppose," answered Harry. Hermione scowled behind him. She followed them silently up to the Great Hall.

Harry explained his sudden skill at Potions as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"I s'pose you think I cheated?" he asked.

"Well, it wasn't exactly your own work, was it?" said Hermione stiffly.

"He only followed different instructions to ours," Ron interjected. "Could've been a catastrophe, couldn't it" But he took a risk and it paid off." He sighed. "Slughorn could've handed me that book, but no, I get the one no one's every written in. _Puked on_, by the look of page fifty-two, but – "

"Hang on," said Ginny suddenly. "Did I hear right? You've been taking orders from something someone wrote in a book, Harry?" Her face was alarmed…and slightly furious. Hermione leaned back instinctively; Ginny was known to have a temper.

"It's nothing," Harry reassured her instantly. His voice became softer. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "It's not like, you know, Riddle's diary. It's just an old textbook someone's scribbled in."

"But you're doing what it says?" inquired the redhead, not backing down.

"I just tried a few of the tips written in the margins, honestly, Ginny, there's nothing funny – "

"Ginny's got a point," said Hermione. "We ought to check that there's nothing odd about it. I mean, all these funny instructions, who knows?"

She pulled the book out of his bag and raised her wand.

"Hey!" yelled Harry.

Hermione was perfectly aware that she was overreacting, and that there was probably nothing wrong with Harry's copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_, but she was desperate.

"_Specialis revelio!_" she snapped, rapping her wand against the cover.

Nothing whatsoever happened. The book simply lay there, looking old and dirty and dog-eared.

"Finished?" Harry asked acidly. "Or d'you want to wait and see if it does a few back flips?"

"It seems alright," said Hermione dejectedly. "I mean, it really does seem to be…just a textbook."

"Good. Then I'll have it back," snapped Harry. He snatched it from the table. Hermione looked back down at her plate and sighed.


	6. Chapter 6: Hermione's Helping Hand

5. Hermione's Helping Hand

Hermione's eyes scanned over the titles, a finger dragging over the book spines, over ragged corners and worn edges as she searched for the correct ancient Runes book. She was hiding out in the library…she grimaced….hiding from Harry. He had continued to excel in Potions with the help of his old textbook, much to Hermione's frustration. She had flown to the library to escape him rather than be forced to endure his constant infatuation with the old book.

The only thing even slightly satisfying about the whole ordeal was that it now seemed to be bothering Ron as well. This was not because he thought it was immoral or anything. The only reason Ron was beginning to resent Harry's Potions book was because he couldn't decipher the "Prince's" handwriting.

Hermione frowned at their stupidity. She'd like to see what they'd do when N.E.W.T.S. came around. She pulled a copy of _Spellman's Syllabary_ off the shelf and glanced around for a seat. Hermione frowned, the library was unusually occupied; with a sigh, she headed for the back section, where she knew two old squashy chairs were hidden.

Hermione stopped abruptly when she came around the last bookshelf; Draco Malfoy was sitting in one of the chairs. He was sitting sprawled across it with a book propped on the right armrest. She stared at him. Hermione didn't know what to do, she was like a deer caught in headlights; she really didn't want to go back to the Common Room, that was where Harry and Ron were doing their Potions homework….but sitting by Malfoy was also not an option.

She looked at her watch; it was quarter past four, which left forty-five minutes until dinner….Malfoy's voice broke through her mental debate.

"Granger?"

Hermione looked up at the blonde boy sitting in one of the chairs in surprise.

"Malfoy…" she answered uneasily.

"Can I help you, possibly?" he drawled. He was looking at her slightly amusedly.

"Um…" Hermione bit her lip. "All of the seats are taken?" her voice went high at the end, making it seem like a question rather than a statement.

"I see." He shifted more upright. "And you were hoping to find solitude here, and…well you weren't expecting me to be here, were you?"

"No," she agreed. Hermione frowned. "What are you playing at?" she snapped.

"Why don't you at least take the last seat?" he smirked, gesturing to the chair in front of his.

"I'd prefer to stand."

"Suit yourself." He smirked again and then went back to reading.

A moment passed with Hermione scowling at him, she huffed and then sat in the chair stiffly. She was incredibly uncomfortable. There was no logical reason that explained why Malfoy was being civilized, the only thing she could think of was that he was trying to trap her. He was trying to lure her in so that he could get closer to Harry.

She looked at him over the top of her book. He looked different she decided. Hermione had always thought he looked sharp but now he seemed softer, almost more relaxed. He was reading _Hogwarts, A History _surprisingly and he had slid further into the chair again. Her eyes began to trace his jawbone, following the distinct curve down to his chin when her cheeks started to feel warm.

_Get a grip, Granger!_

Hermione quickly looked back at the list of Rune translations, but she had a difficult time focusing on the lines…_Mustn't get caught staring at Malfoy! He wouldn't let you hear the end of it! 'A "Mudblood" ogling the Slytherin Prince.' What are you doing! It's Malfoy for Merlin's sake! _

Hermione shuddered, and flipped the page to keep up the pretense. She leaned back in the chair, determined to read through the translations Professor Babbling had assigned her.

"Granger?" Malfoy spoke again.

Hermione looked up at him timidly, her breath caught when her hazel eyes met his ice blue ones.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"Would you mind moving your foot? You're tapping my chair."

"Oh." Hermione swiftly pulled both of her feet away from him and onto her chair, shifting so they were tucked under her skirt.

They both remained silent until the bell rang announcing dinner.

When it rang, Hermione jumped up and started to leave when Malfoy caught her elbow. She stopped walking abruptly and turned around to find him standing right behind her. A breath of air escaped her.

"You forgot your bag," he said. He was holding it by the strap and lightly slid it onto her arm that still held. Has hand slid to her wrist; it was warm against her exposed skin.

"…Thank you," she whispered breathlessly. Malfoy let go of her and she stared up at him. Hermione couldn't breathe. She had to get away from him. She spun around and left him there speed walking towards Great Hall, eager to get as far away from him as possible.

…………………………………

Harry and Ron were already at the Gryffindor table; she sat next to Ron across from Ginny and grabbed a pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"Are you alright?" asked Ginny.

"Hm? Oh yes, I'm fine," said Hermione as she poured the orange liquid into a glass distractedly.

"You look a bit flustered," continued the redhead. Harry and Ron turned to look at her.

"You are a bit red, 'Mione," mumbled Ron through his food.

"I didn't want to miss dinner," said Hermione hastily. She looked away from Ginny, who was looking at her oddly.

"Finally, you're starting to make sense to me," teased Ron as he turned back to his plate. Hermione rolled her eyes at Harry who laughed.

"Did you decide when you're having tryouts, Harry?" asked Ginny, turning her attention to him.

"Yeah, tomorrow after breakfast," he answered.

"Excellent! I hear there are quite a few people interested this year, hopefully we get a good turnout," Ginny gushed.

Hermione glanced around the hall as they continued to talk about Quidditch. Her eyes fell on Malfoy, he was sitting next to Blaise, she hadn't seen him come into the hall. Hermione mentally slapped herself as she started to think of what had happened in the library. She looked away from him and grabbed a biscuit, forcing herself to pay attention to what Ron was saying.

" – was hoping that I would get a _Nimbus_, but the _Cleansweep Eleven_ is decent. It can get up to seventy in ten seconds," he said.

"The _Cleansweep Seven_ is level with the _Eleven_," argued Ginny.

"What are you talking about? Comet wouldn't release a new broom unless it was improved, the _Eleven_ was released after the _Seven_!" cried Ron. Hermione grabbed her bag and stood up.

"Don't be – Where are you going?" demanded Ginny.

"I'm not hungry. I'm just going to go up to the Common Room," shrugged Hermione.

"I thought you didn't want to miss dinner?" Harry pointed out.

"I'm not hungry any more."

Ginny looked at her, her eyes scanning Hermione's face for any trace of guilt. "Fine, but I'm coming with you."

"Sure," agreed Hermione nervously. Ginny stood up and walked around the end of the table to join Hermione on the other side. She linked her arm with Hermione's, a sign their friendship, of the bond between them….also effectively preventing Hermione from escaping Ginny's fast-approaching interrogation.

"Hermione, spill it."

"Spill what exactly?" asked Hermione. She looked at Ginny strangely.

"Why are you acting so odd?" asked Ginny as they neared the door. Hermione sped up, impatient to be out of the spotlight. "And WHY the bloody hell do you keep staring at Malfoy?" she hissed. Hermione froze.

"I haven't been staring at him!" whispered Hermione fiercely. _They were still in the Great Hall,_ _for heaven's sake!_ She glared at Ginny.

"I'm not an idiot like those two bimbos, Hermione. They can't tell which side of a broom is the handle," Ginny plowed on, "seriously 'Mione, what's going on? Has the Ferret been bothering you?"

Hermione shook her head. "That's not it at all."

"Aha but there is an it! Something is bothering you!" Ginny said triumphantly.

"Ginny, there is nothing bothering me!" Hermione gave a frustrated groan. She turned left once they were in the Entrance Hall and headed for the Great Staircase.

"Oi!" Hermione glanced behind her to see Ginny's boyfriend, Dean, was heading towards them. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Where are you two off to?" asked Dean.

"The Common Room," said Ginny.

"Mind if I tag along?" he asked again.

"We were kind of – "

"I don't see why not!" interrupted Hermione before Ginny could finish. She slid her arm through Dean's arm and started to pull him up the steps. "Are you trying out tomorrow?" she asked him.

"Dean, would you mind giving Hermione and I a moment?" said Ginny from behind them.

"Oh, um…I'll meet you in the Common Room."

Hermione let go of his arm in defeat. She didn't know what to tell Ginny, she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell her how oddly Malfoy had been acting around her…partly because she wasn't sure if she'd been imagining the entire thing or not.

She waited patiently as Ginny stared at Dean's back until he was out of sight before turning back to Hermione. She didn't say anything, just looked at her and waited. Hermione bit her lip.

"I don't _stare_ at him," she finally said lamely.

Ginny made a disbelieving noise and started to walk down the hall. Hermione hurried to follow her.

"Well, he has been acting rather strangely around me,' she added.

"How so?" asked Ginny.

"Well…he hasn't insulted me since the first day. And, well…in the library today there weren't anymore seats left so I went in the back where there are two chairs hidden and he was in one of them." Hermione paused when Ginny stopped walking.

"What happened?" she demanded.

"We sat there and read our books until the dinner bell rang."

"Together."

"Yes."

"You, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy, within touching distance from each other, read books without dueling?" said Ginny slowly.

"That is what is so odd!" Hermione agreed.

"What the hell is he playing at?" cried Ginny.

"That is what I asked him, but he just ignores me," Hermione frowned. " And smirks."

"We can't talk about this in the hall, come on," Ginny pulled her towards the Fat Lady. "Dilligrout." The portrait swung open and Ginny pulled Hermione through. She led Hermione to a group of chairs by a fire.

"What does this mean?"

"I honestly don't know. I mean I'm probably just imagining it all," said Hermione. Ginny continued to look at Hermione worriedly.

"Well, you can talk to me "Mione. If you need to."

Hermione smiled, "I know that, Ginny." Ginny grinned.

"It might be nice for a change," She laughed. "To not have to give advice on my brother all the time." Hermione frowned.

"Ginerva Weasley! What on earth are you talking about?"

"Oh, puh-lease, Hermione," Ginny laughed.

"Oh shoo, go find Dean!" Hermione ordered just as Harry and Ron joined them.

"What's she on about, now?" asked Ron.

"Nothing, what do you mean?" Hermione snapped.

"Sorry," Ron sat down next to her. " 'Mione, you haven't happened to finish your Potions have you?"

"You're serious, aren't you?"

Ron grinned sheepishly at her.

"Oh bollocks," Hermione growled as she grabbed her essay out of her bag and threw the parchment at him. Ron grinned and quickly began scanning it. Hermione pulled out the Ruins textbook and started where she'd left off in the library.

………

Hermione had long abandoned _Spellman's Syllabary;_ whenever she tried to read the assigned passage the image of Malfoy sitting across from her would just pop into her head unannounced. She'd gritted her teeth to the point of having dull incisors for the rest of her life before she'd given up and stared writing her essay on "The Principles of Re-Materialization."

"Look, see this looks like a hex, _'Sectumsempra' _but this, look it looks like he invented '_Muffliato' and "Langloc,' " _said Harry as he showed Ron a page in his precious Potions textbook again. "He was a genius, he made these spells himself."

"Or herself," said Hermione. "It might have been a girl. I think the handwriting looks more like a girl's than a boy's."

"The Half-Blood _Prince_, he was called," said Harry, rolling his eyes condescendingly, "how many girls have been princes?"

Hermione scowled, snatching her essay away from Ron, who was trying to read it upside-down.

"What?" asked Ron indigently.

Harry looked at his watch and scooped up his book.

"It's five to eight, I'd better go, I'll be late for Dumbledore."

"Ooooh!" cried Hermione. "Good luck! We'll wait up, we want to hear what he teaches you!"

"Hope it goes OK," Ron yelled as Harry climbed through the portrait hole.

Hermione gathered up her parchment and stowed them in her bag, she hesitated before handing her essay to Ron. He stared at it blankly before pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Ugh, get off, Ronald. I can't feel my arms!" she squealed.

…………………………………..

Hermione was struggling with all the work teachers were assigning. She was starting to panic. Last Transfiguration class; she had asked Professor McGonagall to repeat an instruction. Harry's steadily growing success in Potions was not helping her peace of mind either.

Another worry was Hagrid…he had started to not notice their greetings. When he failed to appear at breakfast one day Hermione decided they needed to talk to him.

"We've got to go and explain," she declared.

"We've got Quidditch tryouts this morning!" said Ron. "_And_ we're supposed to be practicing that _Aguamenti_ charm for Flitwick! Anyways, explain what? How are we going to tell him we hated his stupid subject?"

"We didn't hate it!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Speak for yourself, I haven't forgotten the Skrewts," said Ron darkly. "And I'm telling you now, we've had a narrow escape. You didn't hear him going on about his gormless brother – we'd have been teaching Grawp how to tie his shoelaces if we'd stayed."

"I hate not talking to Hagrid," said Hermione.

"We'll go down after Quidditch," Harry reassured her. "But trials might take all morning, the number of people who have applied," he swallowed nervously. "I dunno why the team's this popular all of a sudden."

"Oh, come on, Harry," Hermione said impatiently. "It's not _Quidditch_ that's popular, it's you! You've never been more interesting and, frankly, you've never been more fanciable," she grinned when his jaw dropped.

Ron gagged on a large piece of kipper. Hermione looked at him with distain before turning back to Harry.

"Everyone knows you've been telling the truth now, don't they? The whole wizarding world has had to admit that you were right about Voldemort being back and that you really fought him twice in the last two years and escaped both times. And now they're calling you the 'Chosen One' – well, come on, can't you see why people are fascinated with you?"

"_And_ you've been through all that persecution from the Ministry when they were trying to make out you were unstable and a liar. You can still see the marks where that evil woman made you write with your own blood, but you stuck to your story anyway…"

"You can still see the marks where those brains got a hold of me in the Ministry, look," said Ron, shaking back his sleeves.

"And it doesn't hurt that you've grown about a foot over the summer, either," Hermione finished, ignoring Ron.

"I'm tall," said Ron inconsequentially. Her eyes flickered to him for a moment but then she shrugged.

The owls arrived, Hedwig dropping a large package in front of Harry, another landing in front of Ron. Harry tore open the brown paper to reveal a new copy of _Advanced Potion-Making_.

"Ha!" he laughed.

"Oh good, now you can give that graffitied copy back," smiled Hermione.

Harry pulled the old copy out of his bag and tapped the cover with his wand, muttering, "_Diffindo!"_ The cover fell off; he did the same to the new book, swapped covers, tapped each and said, "_Reparo!_"

It seemed it was Hermione's turn for her jaw to drop.

"I'll give Slughorn back the new one. He can't complain, it cost nine Galleons."

Hermione pursed her lips. However another owl dropped the day's copy of the _Daily Prophet_ in front of her. She scanned the page uneasily.

"Anyone we know dead?" asked Ron in a determinedly casual voice, it was becoming a daily tradition.

"No, but there have been more Dementor attacks, and an arrest."

"Excellent, who?" asked Harry.

"Stan Shunpike," answered Hermione, reading the article quickly.

""What?" cried Harry.

" '_Stanley Shunpike, conductor on the popular wizarding conveyance the Knight Bus, has been arrested on suspicion of Death Eater activity. Mr. Shunpike, 21, was taken into custody late last night after a raid on his Clapham home…' _" she read aloud.

"Stan Shunpike, a Death Eater?" said Harry. "No way!"

"He might have been put under the Imperius Curse, you never can tell," suggested Ron.

"It doesn't look like it," said Hermione, who was still reading. "It says here he was arrested after he was overheard talking about the Death Eater's secret plans in a pub." Hermione looked at them, "If he was under the Imperius Curse, he'd hardly stand around gossiping about their plans, would he?"

"It sounds like he was trying to make out he knew more than he did," said Ron. "Isn't he the one who claimed he was going to become Minister for Magic when he was trying to chat up those Veela?"

"Yeah, that's him," said Harry. "I dunno what they're playing at, taking Stan seriously."

"They probably want to look as though they're doing something," said Hermione, frowning, "people are terrified – you know the Patil twins' parents want them to go home? And Eloise Midgeon has already been withdrawn. Her father picked her up last night."

"What!" cried Ron. "But Hogwarts is safer than their homes, bound to be! We've got Aurors, and all those extra protective spells, and we've got Dumbledore!"

"I don't think we've got him all the time," Hermione whispered quietly. "Haven't you noticed? His seat's been empty as often as Hagrid's this past week. I think he's left the school to do something with the Order…I mean…it's all looking serious, isn't it?"

They left five minutes later, to head to the Quidditch pitch for tryouts. When they past Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, they were both still whispering together fervently; but they seemed more subdued. However, when Parvati saw Ron walking by she nudged Lavender, who looked around and smiled widely when she met Ron's eye. Ron smiled back uncertainly but still stood up taller as he continued out of the hall.

Hermione scowled, a feeling quite like the one she'd had when she had punched Malfoy in the third year washed over her. She wished she could wipe that sultry look off Lavender's face quite vehemently. Hermione bit her lip and trudged down to the stadium, through the misty rain and sat in the stands without a word to Ron.

Hermione watched from the stands and was quite pleased with Harry's choices so far, Katie Bell, Demelza Robins and Ginny as Chasers with Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote as Beaters.

Hermione frowned when Cormac McLaggen managed to save four out of five goals. She bit her lip.

"Oh dear…..oh bollocks," she muttered to herself. She saw him tense as he was about to move. Hermione grabbed her wand and discreetly pointed it at McLaggen. "_Confuno!" _she whispered fiercely.

McLaggen suddenly shot off in the opposite direction of the quaffle. Hermione beamed happily. Her eyes swept to Ron as she watched him mount his broom. He looked slightly green.

"Good luck!" cried Lavender Brown suddenly. Hermione raised an eyebrow, she hadn't seen her and Parvati come out to the pitch. She clenched her teeth as Lavender covered her face in her hands in embarrassment. She really was a twat. Gods, if Ron fell for her Hermione would have to start doubting his sanity again.

Hermione watched stony-faced as Ron saved all five goals in a row and landed next to Harry. She watched as Lavender took a step towards him, Hermione jumped up and ran past her towards the Quidditch team.

"You did brilliantly, Ron!" she cried. Ron grinned at her.

……………

He watched as Granger ran up to Weasley and saw the unmerited pride radiating off of him as Granger praised him.

He scowled.

He'd laughed when he'd seen her Confund poor McLaggen on his fifth. The poor sod….and then when Granger had been jealous of Brown of all people when she'd wished the Weasel good luck…when she had jumped up to beat Brown to him. Well…he wasn't entirely sure what he'd felt. It was a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach.

He pulled the hood off of his head. It kept falling in his eyes, and the rain had stopped. He watched as she stood near Potter, her long hair blowing in the wind. One hand was clenched in her skirt, holding one side down against the wind.

He watched her, and then turned and walked away; blonde head held high.


	7. Chapter 7: The Dancing Trolls

7. The Dancing Trolls.

After much bickering about when to hold the Quidditch practices, Hermione made here way down to Hagrid's cabin with Harry and Ron trailing behind her. Ron was animatedly retelling the tryouts to Harry, who was indulging him with great tolerance.

"My first save was brilliant, but that one from Ginny was close…I dunno what she was playing at. Did you see the third though, Harry?" asked Ron eagerly.

"It was brilliant, Ron," Harry answered loyally.

"I thought I was going to miss that fourth penalty," Ron said happily. "Tricky shot from Demelza, did you see, had a bit of a spin on it – "

"Yes, yes, you were magnificent," said Hermione. She was beginning to regret jinxing McLaggen; Ron's misplaced smugness was a sentence she was not willing to pay.

"I was better than that McLaggen anyway," said Ron in a satisfied voice, clearly beyond noticing her annoyance. "Did you see him lumbering off in the wrong direction on his fifth? Looked like he'd been Confunded…"

Hermione looked at the ground fiercely, biting the inside of her cheek harshly to stop herself from blurting out that that she had in face Confunded the fool. _Ruddy git._

Hermione quickened her pace only to stop abruptly when her eyes fell on Buckbeat, Hagrid's giant Hippogriff. He was tethered in front of the cabin and was eyeing her suspiciously.

"Oh dear," said Hermione, "He's still a bit scary, isn't he?"

"Come off it, you've ridden him, haven't you?" said Ron. Hermione glared at him. At the amount he irritated her, she was rapidly coming to the conclusion that saving his dignity was a waste of her time.

"Ro – " Hagrid cut her off abruptly before she could finish her sentence.

"Oi!" called Hagrid shifting the sack of potatoes he carried; he advanced towards them from around the corner of his cabin. He was wearing a large flowery apron with Fang at his heels. "Git away from him! He'll have yer fingers – oh. It's yeh lot."

Hermione yelped as Fang bounded past Hagrid and jumped at her, trying to lick her face. Hagrid stared at them briefly before turning on his heel and slamming the door to his cabin behind him.

"Oh dear!" Hermione repeated.

"Don't worry about it," said Harry with a stubborn look in his eye. He banged on the door loudly. "Hagrid! Open up, we want to talk to you!"

There was no answer.

"If you don't open the door, we'll blast it open!" Harry pulled out his wand.

"Harry! You can't possibly – " said Hermione impatiently. She rolled her eyes at Harry's dramatic antics.

"Yes, I can! Stand back – "

The door flew open and Hagrid glared down at them.

"I am a teacher!" he roared. "A teacher, Potter! How dare yeh threaten ter break down my door!"

"I'm sorry, _sir_, " said Harry, putting great emphasis on the 'sir.' He put his wand back in his robes.

"Since when have yeah called me '_sir_'?"

"Since when have you called me '_Potter_"?"

"Oh, very clever," growled Hagrid. "Very amusin'. That's me outsmarted, innit? All right', come in then, yeh ungrateful little…"

He mumbled darkly as Harry walked past him, Hermione followed him quickly.

"Well?" said Hagrid as they sat at the table. "What's this? Feelin' sorry for me? Recken I'm lonely or summat?"

"No, we wanted to see you," said Harry.

"We've missed you!" added Hermione. She stared at him beseechingly.

"Missed me, have yeh? Yeah. Righ'."

There was a squelching sound that came from a large barrel standing in the corner. Hermione shrieked as Ron jumped up from his seat and hurried to the other side of the table.

"What are they, Hagrid?" asked Harry. Hermione peered uneasily into the corner; the barrel was full of maggots, foot-long ones. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Jus' giant grubs," said Hagrid.

"And they grow into…?" asked Ron.

"They won't grow inter nuthin'," said Hagrid. "I got 'em ter feed ter Aragog." He burst into tears.

"Hagrid!" Hermione leapt up and put an arm on his shoulder. "What is it?"

"It's…him…" he gulped. "It's…Aragog…I think he's dyin'…he got ill over the summer an' he's not getting' better…I don't know what I'll do if he…if he…we've bin tergether so long…"

Hermione bit her lip, she couldn't think of anything to say that would comfort him. She had never seen Aragog, but she'd read about Acromantula; and Ron had certainly given her an earful about the time he and Harry had escaped the colony in their Second Year. They were giant spiders, and in both Harry and Ron's opinion not entirely friendly spiders.

Although if they'd ever taken the time to open a book on the Forbidden Forest they would have been more prepared for what they might of run into. Served them right. They certainly ought to take her advice and read _Hogwarts, A History_.

"Is there – is there anything we can do?" Hermione ignored Ron's frantic head-shakings. She glared at him.

"I don't think there is, Hermione," choked Hagrid. "See, the rest o' the tribe…Aragog's family…they're gettin' a bit funny now he's ill..bit restive…"

"Yeah, I think we saw a bit of that side of them," said Ron in an undertone. Hagrid didn't hear him, he was too busy blowing his nose in his giant apron. Hermione shot another dirty look at Ron. _Insensitive git._

"I don' reckon it'd be safe fer anyone but me ter go near the colony at the mo'…But thanks fer offerin', Hermione…it means a lot…"

………….

"Ar, I always knew yeh'd find it hard to squeeze me inter your timetables – "

"We couldn't have done, we smashed the entire stock of Ministry Time-Turners when we were there in the summer. It was in the _Daily Prophet_."

"Ar, well the," said Hagrid. "There's no way yeh could've done it…I'm sorry I've bin- yeh know – I've jus' bin worried abou' Aragog…an' I did wonder whether, if Professor Grubby-Plank had bin teachin' yeh – "

"That old hag has nothing on you, Hagrid," said Harry stiffly. He looked at Hermione darkly.

"And, well…..we certainly never got as much hands-on experience with her, Hagrid!" Hermione added nervously to satisfy Harry. They continued their assurance that Professor Grubby-Plank was a terribly teacher until at dusk, when Hagrid told them to head back to the castle.

"I'm starving," said Harry on their way back. "And I've got that detention with Snape tonight, I haven't got much time for dinner…"

Hermione saw Cormac McLaggen entering the Great Hall….or trying to at least. Hermione frowned as he succeeded on the second attempt. Ron laughed and followed him but Harry grabbed Hermione's arm before she could follow suit.

"What?" she asked impatiently, frowning again.

"If you ask me," he whispered, "McLaggen looks like he _was_ Confunded. And he was standing right in front of where you were sitting."

Hermione blushed.

"Oh, all right then, I did it," she said quietly. "But you should have heard the way he was talking about Ron and Ginny! Anyway, he's got a nasty temper, you saw how he reacted when he didn't get in – you wouldn't have wanted someone like that on the team."

"No," agreed Harry. "No, I suppose that's true. But wasn't that dishonest, Hermione? I mean, you're a prefect, aren't you?" smirked Harry. Hermione's stomach dropped. The expression was far too familiar.

"Oh, be quiet," she said quickly, biting her lip.

"What are you two doing?" came Ron's voice. He was standing in the entrance looking at them suspiciously.

"Nothing," Hermione and Harry said together, they hurried after him towards the Gryffindor table. Suddenly Professor Slughorn appeared in front of their path. Hermione's teeth clenched at the sight of him. _Stupid Potions, _ she thought darkly.

"Harry, Harry, just the man I was hoping to see! I was hoping to catch you before dinner! What do you say to a spot of supper tonight in my rooms instead? We're having a little party, just a few rising stars. I've got McLaggen coming, and Zabini, the charming Melinda Bobbin – I don't know whether you know her? Her family owns a large chain of apothecaries – and, of course, I hope very much that Miss Granger will favour me by coming, too."

Slughorn made a bow to Hermione as he finished speaking, she blushed as he rose.

"I can't come, Professor," said Harry. "I've got a detention with Professor Snape."

"Oh dear!" frowned Slughorn. "Dear, dear, I was counting on you, Harry! Well, now, I'll just have to have a word with Severus and explain the situation, I'm sure I'll be able to persuade him to postpone your detention. Yes, I'll see you both later!" He bustled out of the Hall.

"He's got no chance of persuading Snape," laughed Harry. "This detention's already been postponed once; Snape did it for Dumbledore, but he won't do it for anyone else."

"Oh, I wish you could come, I don't want to go on my own!" said Hermione anxiously.

"I doubt you'll be alone, Ginny'll probably be invited," snapped Ron. He started walking to the table leaving Hermione and Harry staring at each other nervously.

"I really do wish you could come, Harry," she said again.

"It won't be so bad," said Harry as they made there way after Ron. "He's right, you know. Ginny will probably be there."

After dinner they went up to the Common Room, it was very crowded, they managed to find a free table. Ron folded his arms and frowned at the ceiling and Hermione reached for the copy of the _Evening Prophet_, which had been abandoned on the chair next to her.

"Anything new?" Harry asked her.

"Not really…" Hermione scanned the next page. "Oh, look, your dad's in here, Ron – he's all right!" she added quickly. Ron had looked down from the ceiling in alarm. "It just says he's been to visit the Malfoy's house." Hermione blushed at the name, but neither of the boys noticed. She cleared her throat quickly and continued. "_This second search of the Death Eater's residence does not seem to have yielded any results. Arthur Weasley of the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects said that his team had been acting upon a confidential tip-off."_

"Yeah, mine!" cried Harry. "I told him at King's Cross about Malfoy and that thing he was trying to get Borgin to fix! Well, if it's not at their house he must have brought whatever it is to Hogwarts with him – "

"But how can he have done, Harry?" said Hermione patiently. "We were all searched when we arrived, weren't we?"

"Were you? I wasn't!"

"Oh no, of course you weren't, I forgot you were late…well, Filch ran over all of us with Secrecy Sensors when we got into the Entrance Hall. Any Dark object would have been found, I know for a fact Crabbe had a shrunken head confiscated. So you see, Malfoy can't have brought in anything dangerous!"

Harry frowned and looked away. Hermione sighed and began to read again.

"Someone's sent it to him by owl, then. His mother or someone."

"All the owls are being checked, too. Filch told us so when he was jabbing those Secrecy Sensors everywhere he could reach."

"Can you think of any way Malfoy – "

"Oh, drop it, Harry," said Ron.

"Listen, it's not my fault Slughorn invited Hermione and me to his stupid party, neither of us wanted to go, you know!" yelled Harry.

"Well, as I'm not invited to any parties, " said Ron, getting to his feet, "I think I'll go to bed." He stomped towards the boys' dormitories without another word. Hermione stared after him.

"Harry?" Demelza was standing next to him, he turned away from Hermione.

"Hey," said Ginny, she sat next to Hermione. "So are you going to Slughorn's party?"

"I'm not sure, were you invited?" asked Hermione?

"Yes, and Dean as well. The old bugger invited me right in front of him." Ginny grimaced slightly.

"Oh, well Harry has detention with Snape so I wasn't sure."

"Well you have to, I'm not going alone."

"You just said that Dean is going."

"Oh, you know what I mean. Come on, it'll be fun," pleaded Ginny. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

…………………………..

Hermione slumped against the wall. She had finally managed to escape McLaggen by saying she needed the loo. Apparently he was still unaware of the fact that she was the reason he didn't make the Quidditch team…and still under the impression that his advances were appreciated. She turned on the tap and splashed cold water on her face.

Did she really have to go back? Probably…. Hermione sighed in frustration. She glanced at her reflection, Ginny had put her hair up and it was actually staying put. She had to give Ginny credit.

She took a deep breath and then opened the door and looked down the hall. There was no sign of McLaggen so she hurried out of the bathroom and hurried towards the end of the hall. She was almost to the stairs when she heard the door to Slughorn's office opened, she dashed behind a tapestry with dancing trolls and held her breath. Hermione winced when the edge of the tapestry was pulled aside shortly after.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Granger?"

Hermione gasped and looked up to see Draco Malfoy staring at her.

"I'm hiding from Cormac," she whispered.

"McLaggen?"

"At Slughorn's party, he was hanging off of me all night. I only just escaped," explained Hermione.

"He just went into the Girls' Loo; I thought that was odd." He smirked. "I'm assuming he was looking for you," Malfoy laughed.

"That means he'll come out soon!" Hermione bit her lip for a moment and then pulled him behind the tapestry. She exhaled shakily at their close proximity.

"What are you doing, Granger?" he repeated. Hermione's back was to the stone wall and he was far too close to her. There was a small space in the wall behind the thick cloth but he was still pressed against her.

"If he'd seen you talking to a tapestry he'd have come over," she whispered.

"Is that all?"

"What else would it be?" she snapped. Malfoy chuckled. "Are you seriously suggesting that – "

Malfoy pressed a finger to her lips and moved closer to her. Hermione froze.

"McLaggan's coming," he whispered. She could feel his breath against her neck. She clutched his shoulder in the dark as the footsteps passed by them.

"Malfoy… "

"Shh."

Hermione frowned, trying to ignore the feeling of Malfoy pressing her into a wall. She was positive that Malfoy could feel her heart pounding, with his chest pressed against hers as it was.

"There, he's gone now," he pulled away slightly. Hermione nodded.

"That was close," Hermione looked up at him, biting her lip nervously. His eyes flickered down. "Um, thank you for…going along with that." His eyes met hers again.

"Your welcome…."

……………………………….

Draco quickened his pace, he was not in the mood to be caught by Filch or his blasted cat. He was just leaving the Room of Requirement when he saw a girl duck under a tapestry a few paces in front of him. He frowned. What the hell was Granger doing? With his curiosity getting the better of him, he started to make his way towards her when he saw McLaggen, some Gryffindor, go into the Girls' Lavatory down the hall. He smirked. Clearly the idiot was in pursuit of Granger. But was she actually hiding?

He pulled back hanging to see her huddled in the darkest corner of the wall with a pained expression on her face.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Granger?" he asked.

She gasped, her eyes flying open. She stared at him a moment before answering him.

"I'm hiding from Cormac," she whispered.

"McLaggen?" he played along.

"I was at Slughorn's party, he was hanging off of me all night. I only just escaped," she complained. Draco let out a relieved lungful of air he hadn't known he was holding.

"He just went into the Girls' Loo; I thought that was odd. I'm assuming he was looking for you," Malfoy laughed.

"That means he'll come out soon!" He watched as she bit her lip. He hated it when she did that. Well, whom was he kidding? He loved it, really. It was just that it killed him every time that he couldn't bite it himself. His eyes widened when she pulled him behind the tapestry with her.

"What are you doing, Granger?" He said shakily. He could feel all of her. He swallowed. There was no room for one person to stand let alone two people. She was so close…too close.

"If he'd seen you talking to a tapestry he'd have come over," she whispered. Her scent was all around him, he inhaled sharply…it was so sweet…almost painful. He inhaled again, shakily.

"Is that all?"

"What else would it be?" she snapped. Malfoy chuckled at her outrage. "Are you seriously suggesting that – "

Malfoy pressed a finger to her lips, there were footsteps coming towards them. He inhaled a ragged lungful of air before pressing closer to her so that McLaggen wouldn't see their shape through the fabric. He felt Hermione tense.

"McLaggan's coming," he whispered.

"Malfoy… "

"Shh."

She was so soft against him. Her left hand clung to his shoulder and he could feel her tense against him.

"There, he's gone now," he stepped away from her.

"That was close," Hermione looked up at him, biting her lip again. _Sweet Merlin, she's trying to kill me_. "Um, thank you for…going along with that." His eyes met hers again.

"Your welcome," he said huskily and then suddenly his lips were on hers.

Hermione froze but Draco slid his hand up her neck to cup her cheek, anxious to make her relax. He gently stroked the soft skin below his fingers as he pressed her up against the stone wall. He groaned when her lips slowly began to move with his. Draco slid his hand from her arm to the small of her back, arching her slender hips into his. Hermione shivered, moaning when his tongue dragged across her bottom lip and he tilted her chin with the palm of his hand, allowing himself access to slip his tongue into her sweet mouth. Hermione clutched his shoulder pressing closer to him so that he could feel the entire length of her against him.

He pulled away and started kissing and licking his way down her jaw to her creamy throat. Draco smirked when Hermione tilted her head to the side. His hands slid down to rest on her hips. Draco groaned as her hands slid into his hair, she was panting and tugging his head back to her lips. He obeyed willingly, sucking on her bottom lip eagerly.

He froze when she moved her right leg so that his slid between hers. He pulled away from her lips and leaned towards her ear.

"We need to stop," he whispered huskily. "Hermione?"

Hermione shook her head and shifted so that she rubbed against his leg, quite effectively grinding herself against his thigh.

"Fuck," he groaned loudly, dropping his head into the crook of her neck. He felt her smirk against his neck and her was lost.


End file.
